In the late afternoon of December 26, 2023, a fatal altercation occurred in the parking lot of the East Mississippi Correctional Facility in Meridian, Mississippi, resulting in the death of 30-year-old Captain Justin James Whipps. An argument between Whipps and a fellow on-duty correctional officer, 33-year-old Caboris McAfee, escalated, tragically ending when McAfee allegedly shot Whipps.
Fellow officers who heard the gunshot immediately responded to the scene. They quickly restrained McAfee and alerted local law enforcement and emergency services. Despite their efforts, Justin Whipps was pronounced dead at the scene from the gunshot wound. The Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office arrested McAfee and subsequently charged him with murder.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has taken the lead in the ongoing investigation into the shooting. While the specific details of what led to the fatal dispute have not been publicly released, the incident has brought attention to the issue of workplace violence within correctional facilities.
Justin Whipps, born on June 23, 1993, was remembered as a beloved son, brother, and friend. Funeral services were held on January 20, 2024, at Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, Mississippi, with his burial at Lakewood Memorial Cemetery in Jackson. He is survived by his partner, his parents, and his biological father. The case against Caboris McAfee is proceeding through the legal system.
