Mississippi AG clears DeSoto County deputies in fatal Nesbit shooting

The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office has ruled that a DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant and three deputies were justified in using force during a fatal shooting in Nesbit in October 2025.

The incident occurred on Bankston Road when deputies responded to a noise complaint at a gathering of teenagers. According to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, deputies identified 18-year-old Rylee James Westmoreland as someone firing shots. After Westmoreland allegedly ran into the woods, deputies ordered him to drop his weapon. The investigation concluded that Westmoreland emerged from the woods and pointed a gun at the deputies, prompting them to open fire.

DeSoto County Coroner Josh Pounders stated that the individual “gave them no choice but to defend themselves.” The names of the involved officers have not been released, and it remains unclear if the Sheriff’s Department will conduct further administrative reviews.