Bay Police Chief Mike De Nardo was being relieved of his duties before he fatally shot himself in the chest Thursday, Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam said. 
 
 Adam said two deputies were at the Bay St. Louis Police Department assisting the city in confiscating equipment and escorting De Nardo from the station. 
 
 “That’s where it kind of went bad, I guess,” Adam said. 
 
 Bay St. Louis Mayor Les Fillingame said De Nardo was being suspended pending an investigation by an outside agency. He gave no further details on the suspension. 
 
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 Adam declined to comment on whether De Nardo’s suspension was connected to an ongoing Sheriff’s Office investigation into the city’s handling of a Department of Justice forfeiture fund. 
 
 What witnesses saw 
 
 Witnesses said De Nardo had been speaking with two Hancock deputies and a commotion broke out. 
 
 The witnesses said after he shot himself, he was alert and was even speaking as he was placed in the ambulance. 
 
 He was rushed to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport about 3 p.m. Coast law enforcement officials blocked intersections along U.S. 90 for the ambulance. 
 
 Fillingame said he is “devastated” over the loss of De Nardo and was headed to the hospital to check on De Nardo’s family. 
 
 “He is very much beloved and is going to be missed,” Fillingame said. “We ask for everyone’s prayers. May God bless him.” 
 
 Bay St. Louis City Hall closed early after the news of De Nardo’s death. 
 
 Autopsy planned 
 
 De Nardo was pronounced dead at 3:15 p.m. at Memorial Hospital at Gulfport, said Hancock County Coroner Jim Faulk. 
 
 Faulk said De Nardo died of a single gunshot wound to the chest. The coroner said an autopsy will be performed at 7:30 a.m. Friday morning at the Mississippi Forensics Lab in Pearl. 
 
 Faulk said he could not comment on any other details regarding the case. 
 
 Sheriff assisting 
 
 The City Council called an emergency meeting Thursday night. 
 
 Councilman Lonnie Falgout made a brief statement at the beginning of the meeting, and the council quickly went into executive session, citing security concerns. 
 
 “We’re worried about the security of Bay St. Louis after this tragic day today,” he said. 
 
 The council voted to temporarily turn over control of the city’s police department to Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. 
 
 Fillingame appointed Bay police Capt. Wes Mayley as acting police chief and Mayley will assist Adam for now. 
 
 Councilman Doug Seal made the motion to turn over control. 
 
 “Due to recent events, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office will be assuming control of management and day-to-day operations of the Bay St. Louis Police Department on a temporary basis until a new chief is selected,” Seal said. “This is a temporary situation for a period of healing for our fellow officers and employees. Capt. Mayley will assist the sheriff with the operation of the department to maintain continuity.” 
 
 Falgout thanked Adam and Waveland Police Chief David Allen for their assistance. 
 
 Keeping an eye on De Nardo’s files 
 
 Officers and personnel from surrounding law enforcement agencies showed up to the meeting to mourn De Nardo and discuss the day’s sudden and shocking events. 
 
 Falgout said he had been receiving calls and messages of concern from other city officials since news of De Nardo’s death broke. 
 
 He said one important concern was the whereabouts and security of De Nardo’s files pertaining to certain investigations, as well as other general police department cases. 
 
 De Nardo was known to keep meticulous notes and records pertaining to the U.S. Department of Justice police forfeitures investigation. The city came under investigation by the DOJ and the State Auditor’s Office regarding the apparent mishandling of $300,000 in federal money. 
 
 The council, in the past, relied on De Nardo’s records when making decisions regarding that case. 
 
 What happens next 
 
 The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department opened investigations at the Bay police department following the shooting. 
 
 Mississippi Department of Public Safety Communications Director Warren Strain said the MBI would be assisting the Sheriff’s Department, which will lead the investigation. MBI has sent a crime-scene unit to help process the area. 
 
 Amanda McCoy, Robin Fitzgerald, Justin Mitchell, Regina Zilbermints, Mary Perez and Justin Vicory contributed to this report. 

 Photo: City of Bay St. Louis, Miss. 
 
 BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI – As the city mourns the sudden death of its police chief, officials held an emergency meeting Thursday afternoon to decide who will temporarily lead the department. 
 
 The meeting was held at City Hall just hours after the death of Chief Mike DeNardo. 
 
 Police said DeNardo shot himself in the chest shortly after leaving police headquarters. The mayor added he was set to put DeNardo on indefinite suspension per the sheriff's advice. Authorities said Chief DeNardo turned in his city-issued belongings, walked into the parking lot, and pulled the trigger. 
 
 "There was some evidence presented that caused us, at the request of the sheriff's department, to suspend Mike for the term of the investigation,” said Mayor Les Fillingame. “But we really felt like, from the initial conversation with Mike, that (the issue) would be resolved." 
 
 Bay St. Louis city leaders voted to temporarily turn the department's power over to the Hancock County Sheriff's Office. Capt. Wes Mayley will serve as the interim police chief. 
 
 "As these officers who are grieving now come back, we'll just integrate them back into their regular jobs,” said Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam. “We'll oversee the management of it and how they do their job." 
 
 DeNardo had been chief since 2010 according to the department's website. Those who loved him said he was a great man who was dedicated to his job. 
 
 "We're all reeling at the thought of what's happened and just really, hoping that we get some answers that'll give us a little comfort, " said Mayor Fillingame. 
 
 Fillingame added the issue surrounding the chief was more of a personal issue than professional. 
 
 Sheriff Adam also said their office turned over their materials to the FBI two weeks ago. 
 
 (© 2016 WWL) 

 The Bay St. Louis community is now in mourning over news that Police Chief Mike DeNardo has died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. 
 
 The Bay St. Louis community is now in mourning over news that Police Chief Mike DeNardo has died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. 
 
 Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam said Bay St. Louis Police Chief Mike DeNardo was relieved of his duty and city issued equipment before shooting himself in the chest Thursday afternoon. 
 
 Mayor Les Fillingame says DeNardo was suspended without pay Thursday pending an investigation by the sheriff’s department. 
 
 “We were here to assist the City of Bay St. Louis and their mayor to escort Chief DeNardo from the office and obtain his city issued equipment. At that time, it just kind of went bad, I guess,” said Adam. “The mayor called him in. He asked us to come and ask for his equipment. My guys were there, and that’s it.” 
 
 DeNardo shot himself in the parking lot of the Bay St. Louis Police Department and was rushed by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in Gulfport, but did not survive. 
 
 “You know, it’s difficult for a police officer when he is relieved of his duty, so maybe that played into it,” Adam said. 
 
 In an hour-long, closed door executive meeting Thursday evening, the Bay St. Louis Council unanimously voted to temporarily turn control of the police department over to the Hancock County Sheriff's Department. 
 
 Officials confirm that Bay St. Louis Lieutenant Wes Mayley will assist the sheriff with administrative issues. 
 
 Mayor Les Fillingame told WLOX New Now's Hugh Keeton that the sheriff offered to step in to help, mainly to give police officers a break to process the shooting, and have time away if needed. Fillingame says everyone agreed that the temporary move was best. 
 
 Inside the crime scene tape, an open trunk is surrounded by hats, paper littered on ground. https://t.co/LUmfV1GlE8 pic.twitter.com/DeX2mTfOCb — Nicole Harris (@NicTheEditor) September 8, 2016 
 
 At this time, there is no word on why DeNardo was being investigated. On Good Morning Mississippi when WLOX News Now reporter Doug Walker asked Fillingame about the investigation, he said "it had nothing to do with his duties as Chief of Police; it was something that was being done outside of the city. The evidence was compelling enough that the sheriff and his investigators felt like we needed to suspend Mike." Fillingame also said “No charges were filed. Just the very initial phase of an investigation.” 
 
 Parker added, “At this point, it would be inappropriate to talk about it. Our condolences go out to his family for the loss.” 
 
 People around the city are in shock over what happened outside the police department on a quiet Thursday afternoon. 
 
 “Shocked. He’s my good friend. I’m shocked that this happened,” said former city attorney Don Rafferty. 
 
 DeNardo had served as the city’s top cop since 2010. 
 
 “The whole thing is just tragic,” said Fillingame. “Mike was a tremendous public servant, very well liked. I’m almost in a state of disbelief about the outcome.” 
 
 Copyright 2016 WLOX. All rights reserved.
– A Mississippi police chief under investigation for a "personnel" issue was suspended without pay around 3pm Thursday. Moments later, colleagues say Bay St. Louis' top cop walked into the police station parking lot and intentionally shot himself in the chest. Mike DeNardo, 63, was alert and talking while being loaded into an ambulance but was pronounced dead at a hospital, reports the Sun Herald. The Hancock County Sheriff's Office—which has taken temporarily control of the police department—had been asked to assist in escorting DeNardo from the police station and "it just kind of went bad, I guess," Sheriff Ricky Adam tells WLOX. Adam says two sheriff's deputies were confiscating DeNardo's keys and weapons when the shooting occurred, per the Clarion Ledger. "It's difficult for a police officer when he is relieved of his duty, so maybe that played into it," he says. Officers aren't saying what DeNardo was being investigated for, and though the Sun Herald reports the department is missing $300,000 in DOJ forfeiture funds, Mayor Les Fillingame says the issue involving DeNardo was more personal than professional, per WWL-TV. It was "just the very initial phase of an investigation," and DeNardo likely would've been cleared of wrongdoing, he adds, per the New York Daily News.