Video: Columbus Police Chief Resigns

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus Police Chief Tony Carleton has resigned.

Mayor Robert Smith made the announced at a Monday morning press conference.

Smith says Carleton took at teaching job in Alabama. The resignation is effective November 12th.

Veteran officer, Captain Fred Shelton, has taken over the chief duties until the city council appoints an interim chief.

Shelton was in charge of the patrol division of the department.

Smith says Carleton’s decision caught him by surprise.

Carleton’s resignation comes in the wake of the officer involved shooting death of Ricky Ball, 26.

Last week, the city council voted to fire officer Canyon Boykin and suspend officers Johnny Branch and Yolanda Young because of departmental policies that were violated the night Ball was shot on October 16th.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has not released any new details about the shooting.

Last week, CPD announced the FBI will conduct its internal investigation.

Carleton was sworn in as Columbus’ police chief on June 17, 2014.