Tyee Browne was born in Florida, but his legacy will be forever etched in Georgia. The 26-year-old sheriff’s deputy was passionate about serving others, especially the community of Crisp County.
Despite being a deputy with the Crisp sheriff’s office for less than a year, his lasting impact was evident by the thousands of Georgians and countless law enforcement agencies that echoed his name following his death Wednesday morning.
“Hero is the title we bestow upon him today,” Sheriff Billy Hancock said in a statement. “This young man faced evil in protecting this community.”
The funeral for Browne, who was the first member of law enforcement to be killed in the line of duty in Georgia this year, will be held Monday.
The deputy was conducting a traffic stop on a suspected stolen truck in Cordele at around 3:40 a.m. when 25-year-old Croshawn Cross allegedly opened fire, according to the GBI. The deputy was shot and taken to a hospital, where he died, Hancock said.
Credit: GBI
Credit: GBI
Friends, family and law enforcement personnel from around the state will gather Monday in the Crisp County Middle School auditorium to honor the slain deputy during his funeral, according to his obituary. Visitation will take place Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at Hughes & Wright Funeral Home in Cordele.
“Please join us in praying for the deputy’s family and the entire law enforcement community as we mourn this terrible loss,” Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted Wednesday. He said he was “thankful” the suspect was in custody and will face justice.
Browne’s accused killer, who was previously in state prison for nearly two years on a burglary charge, was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly stole the deputy’s patrol vehicle and led authorities on a chase through several counties.
Credit: Crisp County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Crisp County Sheriff's Office
Cross is facing several charges, including felony murder.
Browne was born in Tampa and grew up with an ear for music, playing both the trumpet and French horn while in high school, according to his obituary. He was a competitor on the soccer field and even showed dogs in his spare time. The deputy, who was living in Macon County at the time of his death, leaves behind his “fur baby” named Jenny, the page added.
In September, he transferred to the uniform patrol division after serving as a jailer for the sheriff’s office and a guard at Macon State Prison, according to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council. Browne also served in the Army National Guard, his obituary added.
He is the second Georgia law enforcement member to die in the line of duty this year, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page that tracks law enforcement deaths. In January, Master Patrol Officer C.J. Williams with the Cairo Police Department died after suffering a medial emergency during a foot pursuit.
In 2022, five Georgia law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty.
Early today, I stood behind a podium and informed you we lost one of our own. Unfortunately, words in the English...
Posted by Crisp County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, July 5, 2023
The sheriff said Browne made a “profound impact” on his law enforcement family.
”He will forever remain in our hearts and our minds, inspiring us to serve our community with the same dedication, integrity and compassion that he had,” Hancock said.
Online condolences can be left at the funeral home’s website, the obituary stated. His family asked that memorial contributions be directed to the sheriff’s office.
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