According to the Vicksburg Police Department, officers responded at approximately 9 a.m. to an area behind Vicksburg Convalescent Home, near Cherry and Shannon Streets, following a welfare-check request involving people inside a vehicle. Police were informed that a man inside the vehicle reportedly had a firearm.
Police Chief Larry Burns said responding officers established a perimeter and attempted to communicate with the man, later identified as 40-year-old Cedric Garrett. Officers reportedly tried to resolve the situation peacefully while keeping the surrounding area secure.
Unfortunately, the situation ended in tragedy. According to the police chief, Cedric turned the firearm on himself and died. His 53-year-old wife, Valtrecia Garrett, was also found dead inside the vehicle.
The incident prompted police to urge residents to avoid the Cherry and Shannon Streets area while officers handled the emergency. Authorities later confirmed that the immediate situation had been resolved.
The deaths have left members of the Vicksburg community confronting difficult questions and mourning the loss of two residents. For relatives, friends and people who knew the couple, the circumstances surrounding the tragedy make this an especially painful period.
Police have described the incident as a tragedy that deeply affected the community. The department’s criminal investigations unit is continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding both deaths.