(CNN) — Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting death of a Biloxi police officer who was just months away from retiring. Darian Atkinson was taken into custody on Monday after he was spotted walking down the street in Wiggins, Mississippi, Biloxi Police Chief John Miller said at a news conference. He is accused of killing Robert McKeithen in the parking lot of police headquarters Sunday night. Gulfport Police Department Darian Tawan Atkinson McKeithen was shot multiple times outside the Lopez Quave Public Safety Center around 10 p.m. Sunday, Miller said during a press conference Monday morning. First responders took the officer to a hospital emergency room, where he died shortly before midnight, CNN affiliate WLOX reported. The motive is still unclear. Authorities did not rule out this being a random attack. A decorated officer and family man McKeithen served the department for almost 24 years, Miller said. He was an “unbelievably fine” police officer who planned to retire at the end of this year, the police chief said. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, McKeithen and four other officers received a medal of valor for saving four special needs children “who undoubtedly would have perished” without them, Miller added. WLOX Biloxi Police Chief John Miller placed flowers on a patrol vehicle in tribute to fallen officer Robert McKeithen. He leaves behind a wife, a daughter, two stepsons, and a stepdaughter, Miller said. “He was a wonderful family man. That’s where he spent all of his time, with his family.” Biloxi Mayor Andrew Gilich told WLOX police officers “will lay down their lives for you.” He said officers report for duty knowing they “may not come back from a shift, and that’s scary. But that also tells you something about the person that does this. And of course Robert was that kind of person.” CNN’s Tina Burnside contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Less than 24 hours after police say a Mississippi man gunned down a uniformed officer in police station parking lot, the now-arrested suspect was marched on Monday night back into the same Biloxi police station. Biloxi Police Chief John Miller said one of his department's officers was driving home through Wiggins, 40 miles north of the Gulf Coast city when the officer spotted a man at the side of the road who looked like the target of an intense manhunt. Police officer John McKeithen, who was killed Sunday night outside the department building in Biloxi. Biloxi Police Department / AP That officer's suspicions were on the money. He called Wiggins police who in turn arrested 19-year-old Darian Tawan Atkinson, wanted for capital murder in the slaying of Biloxi Patrolman Robert McKeithen. Atkinson, tall and lanky in a blue and black baseball jersey, gave something close to a grin as officers yanked him from the back of a police cruiser and paraded him past watching reporters and cheering police officers back in Biloxi, only feet away from where McKeithen was gunned down after 10 p.m. Sunday night. The 23-year-veteran of the Biloxi force had been planning to retire this year. "It's been a long couple of days," said Miller, who told reporters he was going to bed as he got news of the capture. "We feel vindicated. He's been treated properly and fairly. And now we will grieve for the family." Miller wouldn't say if Atkinson had told police anything. He said Atkinson would be questioned and then transported to the Harrison County jail in Gulfport. It's unclear when Atkinson will go before a judge or if he has a lawyer. "Next we want to make sure that we have a solid case," Miller said. "We want the district attorney to be pleased with the case we present, and we want this guy to pay for what he's done." Darian Tawan Atkinson, 19, who is the subject of a manhunt and sought on a charge of capital murder. Biloxi Police Department / AP It's unclear how Atkinson got to Wiggins after a day when police searched locations in Biloxi, sometimes carrying assault rifles, looking for the man. Miller said he expected at least one person would be charged as an accessory for illegally aiding Atkinson. It remains unclear whether McKeithen was targeted or shot at random "I can say that's probably the saddest thing about this case is we have no motive, we have no reason for him to do this to anybody," Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson said at a news conference earlier Monday evening. Authorities say the gunman approached McKeithen in the station's parking lot Sunday night after coming inside the station, shooting the officer multiple times. Images from a surveillance camera inside the station showed a suspect wearing navy blue shorts, a black T-shirt, a red beanie cap and dark high-top sneakers. Miller said earlier Monday that the suspect, then still unidentified, "seemed a bit nonchalant" as he walked around. Miller turned the investigation over to the neighboring Gulfport Police Department, saying it was better to have an outside agency investigate the death of one of Biloxi's own officers. Gulfport police spokesman Sgt. James Griffin said investigators determined Atkinson's identity through tips and interviews throughout the day. Asked if Atkinson had a criminal record, Gulfport Police Chief Leonard Papania said "there's nothing that would indicate this," later describing the shooting as "a sick and deliberate act." Authorities withheld details of the shooting itself, but Miller has said that "with all of Robert's training, I don't know that there was anything else he could have done." Immediately after the shooting, McKeithen was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. McKeithen's relatives said Monday through Biloxi city spokesman Vincent Creel that they weren't prepared to talk. A memorial service is planned Tuesday night at Biloxi police headquarters. The officer's funeral and burial are planned for May 13. Mississippi's governor visited the Biloxi police station on Monday, lamenting the killing. "This was a senseless murder of a veteran police officer," Gov. Phil Bryant later wrote on Twitter. "We will find the coward who fired the shots and take him into custody." At a news conference on Monday morning outside Biloxi's police headquarters, Miller gestured at one point toward the crime scene around McKeithen's patrol SUV. He said his officer was "murdered last night right here in our parking lot." Mourners piled floral tributes on the SUV later in the day. McKeithen was described as an Air Force veteran with a wife, daughter, two stepsons and a stepdaughter. Miller said he and McKeithen had handled calls together earlier in their career. Department records show McKeithen and three other officers were awarded a medal of valor for risking their lives to rescue four special needs children during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Said Miller of the slain officer, "He treated people with respect and dignity and we're going to miss him sorely."<doc-sep>A manhunt for the person suspected of killing of a Biloxi police officer ended Monday night in an arrest. Around 9 p.m., Darian Tawan Atkinson, 19, was led handcuffed through the same parking lot where he had allegedly opened fire on Officer Robert McKeithen the night before. Atkinson, in a video streamed on social media by WLOX-TV, appeared to be smiling as he passed dozens of uniformed officers on his walk from a cruiser to the front doors of the police station. Some bystanders could be seen clapping and cheering. Biloxi Police Chief John Miller said a Biloxi officer was on his way home when he spotted a man resembling Atkinson in Wiggins. He said the officer called the Wiggins Police Department, which sent cops out to make the arrest. "We feel vindicated. He’s been treated properly and fairly. And now we will grieve for the (officer's) family," Miller said. "They’ll know shortly he’s been arrested. Maybe that will give them some relief." Miller said there will be another charge for accessory to a crime, and declined to elaborate further. He said he doesn't know of a motive for the alleged shooting right now. Miller said investigators want to make sure they have a "solid case." "We want the district attorney to be pleased with the case we present. We want this guy to pay for what he’s done," he said. Miller expressed thanks for the officers who worked the case, some of whom haven't rested in 40 hours, he said. He also thanked the community for their support. Asked about the expression on the suspect's face as he was led through the police station doors, Miller replied: "I'm not bothered by his smile." Monday began with law enforcement circulating video footage and photos of the then-unidentified suspected killer in hopes of pinning down his name. During a morning press conference, Miller described McKeithen as an "unbelievably fine policeman.' He had served on the force for nearly 24 years, he said, and was planning to retire this year. "(McKeithen) was a fine and decent man, a great policeman and he served the citizens of Biloxi well," Miller said. Shortly before 6 p.m. authorities announced they identified the suspect as Atkinson and urged anyone who knew where he was to turn him in. They said he would be charged with capital murder of a police officer. More:'Unbelievably fine policeman': Who was Robert McKeithen, officer killed in Biloxi? More:Man suspected of killing Biloxi officer identified by authorities Contact Alissa Zhu at azhu@gannett.com. Follow @AlissaZhu on Twitter.<doc-sep>The 19-year-old accused in the brazen murder of a decorated, veteran cop flashed a smirk as he walked a gauntlet of law enforcement officials who'd gathered to watch him booked into the same Biloxi police station outside of which he's believed to have killed Robert McKeithen. John Miller, the Mississippi police chief whose cops tracked down Darian Tawan Atkinson, said Monday night his department feels “vindicated” after arresting the suspected killer. Atkinson was yanked out of a police cruiser to some clapping and cheering, but his emergence was mostly met by the dozens of officers who had gathered to witness the scene – including agents from the Border Patrol and FBI – silently staring him down as he was marched inside the building. “These officers… some of them have been up for 38, 40, 44 hours,” Miller said. “We thought it would be fitting for them to be here and see the arrest that they worked so hard to try to make.” He added: “I’m not bothered by his smile." VIDEO SHOWS DEADLY CONNECTICUT POLICE SHOOTING AFTER OFFICER YELLS 'SHOW ME YOUR HANDS' Investigators on Tuesday are still trying to determine why McKeithen – an Air Force veteran and recipient of the Medal of Valor for helping save the lives of special needs children during Hurricane Katrina – was targeted Sunday night, just months before his planned retirement. McKeithen, who served the Biloxi Police Department for 24 years, was shot near his police car in the facility’s parking lot. He later died at a local hospital. The suspect fled following the attack – sparking a frenzied manhunt in the Mississippi Gulf Coast city for much of Monday, involving SWAT teams and multiple law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local levels. A surveillance video had captured Atkinson wandering into police headquarters at some point prior to the attack, giving investigators a clear image of the man they were looking for. His identity was confirmed through tips and interviews, Gulfport police Spokesman Sgt. James Griffin told the Associated Press. But Atkinson remained elusive -- until an eagle-eyed Biloxi officer spotted him by chance as he drove home after ending his shift, Miller said. The officer, who was driving through Wiggins, about 30 miles outside of Biloxi, spotted a man walking on the side of the road who looked like Atkinson. Miller said the officer called Wiggins police, who responded to the scene and arrested the man – who turned out to be him. NORTH CAROLINA POLICE OFFICER DIES AFTER BEING SHOT DURING TRAFFIC STOP Miller told reporters Monday that Atkinson is now facing a capital murder charge and at least one other person will be charged with accessory for helping him flee Biloxi. “We want to make sure that we have a solid case,” Miller said. “We want the district attorney to be pleased with the case that we present. And we want this guy to pay for what he has done.” Miller also said the department feels “vindicated” after a “long couple of days” surrounding the death of McKeithen. He hailed the community for their support, noting that residents have sent them cards and brought food down to the police station for officers working on the case. The slain officer’s cruiser is still parked outside of the Biloxi Police Department headquarters and has turned into a makeshift memorial. Its hood by Monday afternoon was completely covered with flowers, balloons and American flags. “There are no words that are going to make this better for them,” Miller said when asked if he had a message for McKeithen’s family. He leaves behind a wife, daughter, two stepsons and a stepdaughter. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I hope in some small way making this arrest tonight will bring them some closure. But there is no words,” he added. “I’ve talked to Mrs. McKeithen several times – there is no words to make her feel better.” McKeithen’s funeral will be held at a local church on Monday, May 13.<doc-sep>
A Mississippi teenager accused of gunning down a uniformed officer in a police station parking lot was captured and returned in handcuffs, smiling as he was escorted through a phalanx of television cameras and police officers at the scene of the crime. Biloxi citizens applauded Monday night as 19-year-old Darian Tawan Atkinson was brought into the station. Police said he's the same man who walked around inside the station the night before and then approached Biloxi Patrolman Robert McKeithen in the parking lot, shooting him multiple times. "We feel vindicated. He's been treated properly and fairly. And now we will grieve for the family," Police Chief John Miller said. It remains unclear whether McKeithen, 58, was targeted or shot at random. "I can say that probably the saddest thing about this case is we have no motive, we have no reason for him to do this to anybody," Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson said Monday before the arrest. Miller said a Biloxi officer spotted the suspect while driving home through Wiggins, 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of the Gulf Coast city. The officer called Wiggins police, who made the arrest. Tall and lanky in a blue and black baseball jersey, Atkinson was yanked from the back of a police cruiser and smiled as he was paraded past the cameras and a line of officers, who stood as people cheered behind them. Miller wouldn't say if Atkinson had told police anything. He was taken into the department for questioning and later taken to the Harrison County jail. It's unclear when Atkinson will go before a judge, or if he has a lawyer to defend him against a charge of capital murder. "We want to make sure that we have a solid case," Miller said. "We want the district attorney to be pleased with the case we present, and we want this guy to pay for what he's done." It's unclear how Atkinson escaped the manhunt to reach Wiggins, but authorities say he had help. Gulfport Police Chief Leonard Papania confirmed to The Associated Press that Atkinson's older brother, 21-year-old Davian Lewanika Atkinson, was charged early Tuesday with being an accessory. Authorities say the gunman approached McKeithen and shot him multiple times Sunday night after coming inside the station, where a surveillance camera showed him walking around. The suspect, who wasn't publicly identified until late in the day, "seemed a bit nonchalant" in the video images, Miller said. Miller turned the investigation over to the neighboring Gulfport police, saying it was better to have an outside agency investigate the death of one of Biloxi's own officers. Gulfport police spokesman Sgt. James Griffin said investigators determined Atkinson's identity through tips and interviews. State criminal records show no felony convictions for either Atkinson brother. "There's nothing that would indicate this," Papania told reporters of Darian Atkinson. Later, he described the shooting as "a sick and deliberate act." "With all of Robert's training, I don't know that there was anything else he could have done," Miller said. McKeithen was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. An Air Force veteran who spent 23 years with the Biloxi police, McKeithen had been planning to retire this year. His death leaves a wife, daughter, two stepsons and a stepdaughter; the family said Monday through Biloxi city spokesman Vincent Creel that they weren't prepared to talk. Mourners piled floral tributes on McKeithen's patrol SUV, which remains in the parking lot where he died. A memorial service is planned Tuesday night at Biloxi police headquarters. The officer's funeral and burial are planned for May 13. "This was a senseless murder of a veteran police officer," Gov. Phil Bryant tweeted Monday after visiting the Biloxi police station, pledging authorities would "find the coward who fired the shots." Miller said he and McKeithen had handled calls together earlier in their career. Department records show McKeithen and three other officers were awarded a medal of valor for risking their lives to rescue four special needs children during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "He treated people with respect and dignity and we're going to miss him sorely," the chief said. ___ Follow Jeff Amy at http://twitter.com/jeffamy