A veterinarian who fatally shot two Mississippi police officers at a motel was killed by gunfire from one of the officers, authorities revealed after initial reports suggested she died by suicide.
Amy Brogdon Anderson, 43, shot and killed Bay St Louis Police Sgt Steven Robin, 34, and Officer Branden Estorffe, 23, on Wednesday morning while inside her car with her eight-year-old daughter.
Investigators initially reported that Anderson shot the officers before turning the gun on herself. However, that narrative changed with an update from Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell on Friday.
Mr Tindell said that body-camera footage, autopsies and other forensic tests confirmed that Anderson was killed by return fire from Officer Estorffe after she shot Sgt Robin.
The altercation began as the officers carried out a wellness check on Anderson, who was parked outside a Motel 6 with her child in the vehicle.
Authorities said Anderson had asked the front desk clerk to call 911 about an hour after she checked into the motel.
Upon arriving at the scene, authorities said officers spoke with Anderson for about 40 minutes before they decided to call for Child Protection Services (CPS).
During the conversations, Anderson “advised the officers that she was in fear for her life and that she was being followed by a white pick-up truck,” the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said in a press release.
“The interactions with Anderson and her minor child occurred both inside and outside of their motel room, during which time the officers took statements, gathered information, and investigated allegations made by Anderson,” the release states.
The gunfire erupted shortly after the officers informed Anderson that they were calling CPS. Anderson reportedly said that she and her daughter were leaving the motel and was preparing to do so before she opened fire.
Mr Tindell said body-camera footage shows that Sgt Robin was still interacting with Anderson when she shot him once in the head from the driver’s seat of the SUV at 4.19am.
Officer Estorffe approached, exchanging shots with Anderson that ultimately killed both the second officer and the woman.
Anderson died from a gunshot wound to the chest, with the bullet determined to have come from Officer Estorffe’s gun.
Sgt Robin died at the scene and Officer Estorffe was pronounced dead at an area hospital. Anderson’s daughter was unharmed.
Republican Governor Tate Reeves said in a statement on Wednesday that “early this morning two Bay St Louis Police officers were tragically shot and killed in the line of duty”.
“I am heartbroken by this terrible loss of two brave law enforcement officers. I am praying for their family, friends, their fellow officers, and the entire Bay St Louis community,” he added.
“Every single day across Mississippi, our law enforcement members place their lives on the line in constant and repeated acts of selfless sacrifice for their community. They are a key reason that the rest of us are safely and freely able to live our lives. They ARE the thin blue line.”
“The thin blue line” refers to the idea that the police are the only thing standing between society and violent chaos.
Associated Press contributed to this report
