Billy Davis

A Crenshaw police officer, shot twice by an ambusher in a home, shot and killed his attacker, authorities said Monday.

Patrolman Sean Shelton, 32, was undergoing surgery Monday for a shot to his abdomen and a slight injury to his face.

He had been airlifted to The Med in Memphis late Sunday night.  

Shelton’s mother told Memphis media late Monday that her son was awake and talking to family.

Shelton returned fire and killed Lawrence Richardson, who was armed with a .22 caliber pistol, said Sheriff Otis Griffin.

Richardson is originally from Fairfax, Virginia, Griffin said.

The police officer was wearing a protective vest but the bullet struck Shelton on his side, the sheriff said.

Shelton had entered a home on Polland Road after a woman, returning home, feared Richardson was inside, Griffin said. The woman had been threatened by Richardson, an ex-boyfriend, in the past.

“The lights in the house were turned off and she knew something was wrong,” the sheriff said. “So she called the officer and asked him to check out the house.”

The woman’s daughter was also present when Shelton entered the dark home.

“This officer did an excellent job. He probably saved two lives,” Griffin said. “I believe Richardson’s game plan was to ambush the mother and daughter, and he had bad intentions.”

Crenshaw Police Chief Paul Mills Monday said the Miss. Highway Patrol and the Panola County Sheriff’s Department were investigating the shooting Monday.

Mills said the shooting occurred about 10:15 p.m. Sunday night.

Polland Road is located north of Crenshaw, near the Tate County line, in the Askew community.