Video: PR Position, Officer-Involved Shooting Discussed at First ’16 Columbus Meeting

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Columbus city councilmen had a lot to talk about in their first meeting of the new year.

Approvals Tuesday night included retirements for two firefighters.

Both Battalion Chief Caroll ‘Junior’ Lancaster, and Capt. Larry Webber have been with the department for 25 years.

Chief Martin Andrews tells WCBI they’ll promote two people within the department to fill the positions, and hire two additional firefighters.

Councilmen also approved hiring a public relations director for the city, who will make between $38,000 and $42,000.

They’ll start the search process immediately.

Interim Police Chief Capt. Fred Shelton also gave the council an update on the October officer-involved shooting that killed Ricky Ball.

Shelton told councilmen he has been in touch with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and the preliminary autopsy on Ball is complete. MBI still isn’t ready to release the results of that autopsy yet.

Investigators have taken statements from everyone involved in the case.

Shelton also says all evidence has been submitted, and is being tested at the state crime lab. MBI will notify Columbus police with the final report.

Shelton says he’ll check in with MBI every two weeks for any updates.

When all results are in at the end of the investigation, that information will be submitted to the district attorney to determine what’s next.