Two brothers arrested after a manhunt now face attempted capital murder charges in Covington County.
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Covington County Deputy Yates Rodney remained hospitalized Thursday after authorities said he was shot during a Monday traffic stop in Mount Olive, where two teen brothers were later arrested.
The shooting has moved from a roadside investigation to a court case. Cortavion Hobbs, 19, and Cortavious Hobbs, 18, appeared in Covington County Justice Court on Wednesday. Both were charged with two counts of attempted capital murder and hindering prosecution. A judge denied bond on the attempted capital murder charges and set separate $250,000 bonds on the hindering prosecution counts.
Authorities said the encounter began around 2:45 p.m. Monday when Rodney tried to stop a blue SUV. Sheriff Darrell Perkins said the stop began after Rodney saw the driver was not wearing a seat belt. Officials later said Rodney saw suspected narcotics and contraband in the vehicle before the SUV fled. The chase moved through Mount Olive and ended near Fourth Street, close to the post office and Cash Saver Grocery Store.
Investigators said Rodney ordered the occupants out after the SUV became stuck. A second deputy, Austin Riels, arrived to assist. Authorities said the passenger was on the ground with his hands up before getting up and firing at Rodney. Riels returned fire. The suspects were not injured and fled on foot, setting off a search that pulled in sheriff’s offices, state agencies, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The search lasted into early Tuesday. Officers used drones and K-9 units while parts of the Mount Olive area were blocked off. Around 1 a.m., law enforcement received information that the brothers may be at a home on Bluff Street. Authorities said the homeowner found them under the house and called officers. The brothers were taken into custody without incident.
Rodney was taken to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg. Mississippi Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson said Rodney was stable but paralyzed from the waist down after the bullet damaged his spinal column. Gipson said he visited Rodney twice and described the deputy and his wife as a young couple facing a life-changing injury. “It’s a devastating situation,” Gipson said.
The investigation also drew attention because a third teen was wrongly named in the first Blue Alert. ZyKerian Magee, 19, said he was at home when the alert appeared on his phone. He turned himself in and was later cleared. Chief Deputy Rickey Lott said Magee’s name came up as a lead and that he was mistakenly identified. Magee’s mother, Avis Grant, questioned how the alert was sent before confirmation.
Wednesday’s bond ruling keeps the Hobbs brothers jailed on the most serious counts while prosecutors and investigators continue the case. No trial date has been announced. Rodney remains at Forrest General Hospital as family members, officials and community members await the next court steps.
Author note: Last updated June 11, 2026.