The Rankin County Sheriff’s Department said it was notified by a complainant that multiple unhoused individuals were trespassing in a forested area adjacent to the Bellegrove subdivision near the reservoir.
During a preliminary investigation, deputies said they located multiple online reports of people in the area but could not identify a definitive location. The department deployed multiple deputies and long-range surveillance assets to search the forested area.
At the conclusion of the search, deputies said they were unable to locate anyone. Investigators noted several residences bordering the forested area were vacant but said they could not establish probable cause to search those properties.
The Rankin County Sheriff’s Department is the primary law enforcement agency for Rankin County, Mississippi, and often responds to reports of trespassing and encampments near residential neighborhoods. The department asked anyone with information or a more specific location to call (601) 825-1480. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
