Sheriff: Crisp Co. deputy dies from gunshot wounds, suspect who stole deputy’s car charged with murder

CORDELE, Ga. (WALB) - A Crisp County Sheriff’s deputy has died after being shot early Wednesday morning, according to the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect, who was arrested after a multi-county chase, is facing multiple charges including murder.

The Crisp County deputy that died has now been confirmed to be Tyee Browne, according to Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock. He was reportedly a deputy for Crisp County for less than a year.

Deputy Browne was making a traffic stop on a suspect who was wanted for burglaries in a reportedly stolen truck on Highway 280 West in Cordele around 3:40 a.m. As the deputy was approaching the suspect, Croshawn Cross, 25, Cross reportedly shot Browne and fled the scene, per the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

The GBI says other Crisp County deputies shot at Cross as he fled the scene in Browne’s patrol car.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office told WALB they were alerted around 4 a.m. that the deputy had been shot and a multi-county chase involving other deputies and the suspect, who was reportedly in the stolen deputy’s vehicle, had begun.

The suspect was later arrested by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office near the Bibb-Monroe County line.

Cross is charged with malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, theft by receiving stolen property, carjacking, three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and two counts of theft by taking.

The Crisp County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the deputy died from his injuries at Crisp Regional Hospital.

The body of Browne was brought back to Crisp County Wednesday afternoon.

Browne’s death marks the 49th officer-involved shooting the GBI has been called to investigate in 2023.

The GBI is investigating the incident.

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