Authorities in Mississippi say the man shot and killed by Jackson County deputies near the county courthouse in Pascagoula has been identified as David Ray Wyrick, and investigators allege he came to the government complex trying to spark a major explosion. They say Wyrick drove through a fence, pulled up beside a government building and tried to ignite multiple propane tanks before deputies confronted him and exchanged gunfire. Nearby government offices and a local Catholic school were thrown into lockdown as a multi‑agency response flooded the area and secured the scene.
What investigators say
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation says the episode started about 12:15 p.m., when Wyrick allegedly drove his truck through a fence on Magnolia Street near the Jackson County Emergency Management building and courthouse, then parked beside a large propane tank and tried to light additional tanks in the bed of his truck in what officials say appeared to be an attempt to cause an explosion, according to WLBT. A witness called the sheriff’s office, two deputies responded and Wyrick ran, prompting a short pursuit that ended in an exchange of gunfire that left him fatally wounded.
Lockdowns and multi‑agency response
The Jackson County Services Building and the courthouse were locked down, and Resurrection Catholic School briefly sheltered in place while officers swept the area and made sure there were no secondary threats, according to WAPT. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have joined the probe, and officials told the station that no deputies suffered serious injuries in the chaos.
Florida connection and previous arrest
Records show Wyrick already had a violent history with law enforcement. He was arrested in Key Largo in February 2025 after Monroe County deputies say he attacked Sgt. Robert Dosh, allegedly striking him in the face with a metal pipe that had a nail attached to it and trying to take a deputy’s firearm, and was booked on attempted manslaughter, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and related counts, according to Local10. CBS12 reported that Sgt. Dosh was treated at Mariners Hospital in Tavernier and later transferred to Kendall Medical Center in Miami for an eye injury after that confrontation.
Investigation and next steps
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has taken the lead on the Pascagoula shooting and said agents will share their findings with the state Attorney General’s Office when the probe wraps up, officials told WLBT. With federal agencies assisting at the scene, investigators say forensic work and evidence processing will help determine whether any additional charges are warranted in connection with the incident.
Investigators have asked anyone with video or tips to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office or the MBI, as detectives continued processing evidence into the afternoon and reporters stayed posted outside the courthouse complex. For background on Wyrick’s earlier arrest and the Monroe County case, see reporting by CBS12 and Local10.
