A man died Thursday morning after police said he broke into a home on 21st Street while armed with a knife and a hammer and was shot by a woman inside. The Harrison County coroner identified the man as 29-year-old Dangelo Murphy of Gulfport.
Investigators said the case remains open as they collect statements, process evidence and prepare a report for prosecutors to review. The shooting has drawn attention because authorities said two women inside the home already had active protective orders against Murphy, raising questions about what led to the early-morning confrontation and how quickly events unfolded once he entered. Police emphasized that one woman suffered a minor knife wound during the encounter, while the second woman fired the shots that ended it.
Police said the first 911 call came shortly after 7 a.m. from the residential block, where a caller reported a forced entry through a window. Responding officers found signs of a struggle and tools consistent with the report: a knife and a hammer. According to a brief incident summary, the man confronted two women after getting inside. One woman was cut, described as a minor injury, and both moved to another room and took shelter. Investigators said the uninjured woman obtained a firearm and fired at the intruder. Medics transported the man, who was later pronounced dead.
Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer identified the man as Murphy and confirmed his age and residence. Authorities did not immediately say how many rounds were fired, what type of firearm was used or whether the weapon was kept in the home. Police also did not describe the room where the women sheltered or the exact point of entry beyond the damaged window officers documented. Officials said no other people were reported inside the residence and that no officers were hurt. The women were interviewed at the scene and later at the station as detectives canvassed the block for security video and additional witnesses.
The 21st Street area sits amid single-story homes and small yards a short drive from Gulfport’s commercial corridors. Morning traffic typically brings commuters and delivery trucks through the neighborhood; residents said flashing lights and crime-scene tape just after sunrise drew people to porches and sidewalks. Gulfport police have investigated several domestic-related incidents this year, and court records in Harrison County show protective-order filings are common. In this case, investigators underscored that both orders were already active when Murphy arrived, a detail that framed the encounter within an ongoing dispute under court supervision.
Detectives said standard steps now include collecting and testing physical evidence, documenting the window where entry was made, and analyzing statements from the two women. The coroner’s office will complete routine postmortem procedures and forward cause-and-manner findings to police when ready. Prosecutors will determine whether the facts satisfy any criminal elements or whether the case will be closed without charges, a decision that typically follows a full case file review. Officials did not release a timeline for completing the investigation, noting that lab work and records checks can take days or weeks.
By late morning Thursday, officers moved in and out of the home as technicians photographed rooms and placed evidence markers along the entry path. Neighbors watched from a distance while traffic slowed around cruisers blocking part of the street. A police spokesperson reiterated the sequence provided in the initial summary and confirmed the injured woman’s wound was minor. No body-camera footage or 911 audio was released, and the department said additional updates would come when more information is confirmed.
As of Saturday, the investigation had not yielded public charging decisions. The next steps include completion of the autopsy report and a review by local prosecutors once detectives submit their findings.
Author note: Last updated December 20, 2025.