The man who fired dozens of shots at officers during an hours-long standoff at Brookhaven Apartments Monday evening died barricaded in his apartment, Police Chief Bobby Bell said at midnight.

There were no serious injuries to officers during the incident, Bell said Tuesday. Two officers sustained minor injuries from debris, he said.

Rudolph Smith, 31, had been making threats all day, Bell said, reportedly after receiving eviction papers at the complex off Union Street Ext. Police responded to a call at 5:24 p.m. that the subject was threatening other tenants. When officers arrived on the scene to talk to the man, he discharged his weapon at them through his apartment door.

Smith had four guns — long guns and pistols — and a “good bit of ammo” in his apartment, Bell said.

Smith was the only person in the building he was living in during the standoff and gunshots only hit nearby cars and other buildings, Bell said.

Residents on the scene said Smith had made racist comments and threats.

Dozens of shots rang out throughout the standoff that last over six hours. SWAT arrived on the scene at approximately 8 p.m., joining the many other agencies there including the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Crime Lab, Southwest Narcotics and others.

Gunfire escalated about an hour before the suspect was confirmed to be dead. Deputy Coroner Ricky Alford confirmed that Smith died of an undetermined number of gunshot wounds. Bell said Smith did not shoot himself.

“We are fortunate that we had no officers that were hurt any worse than what we had,” Bell said. “It was a situation where a lot of people could have been hurt. [We’re fortunate] we have a police department like we have around here and had help from state agencies who were here awfully quick; MHP, SWAT was here, Southwest Narcotics, Mississippi Crime Lab…

“We’re just fortunate that it turned out the way it turned out. I feel sorry for this young man’s family — but this was a choice he made,” he said. “I’m going to pray for them and pray for our officers.”
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation will handle the ongoing investigation.

Smith was severely injured in a hit-and-run on I-55 in 2004. Smith and his girlfriend were injured when Smith’s truck was side-swiped by an 18-wheeler. Family members said then that Smith sustained severe head trauma, a concussion and broken vertebra in several places.