OXFORD, Miss. — A U.S. Marshal who was shot in the line of duty is back home after spending a week in the hospital.
Bob Dickerson, 34, was badly wounded when a murder suspect opened fire on him in Oxford, Mississippi.
Dickerson was released from the hospital Friday and was greeted by a cheering crowd. He gave a thumbs up to the crowd and was escorted home by a host of law enforcement officers who wanted to honor him.
Marshall County Sheriff Kenny Dickerson is Bob’s father.
“It lifted all of our spirits and especially my son’s spirits,” Dickerson said.
He’s thankful his son is alive and is proud of his service.
“When you raise your right hand to do what we all do, whether it’s here or in the military, there’s always that high chance of getting shot,” Dickerson said. “I only wish it could have been me instead of him.”
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said Dickerson and other marshals tried pulling over Hunter Carlstrom near Lamar and Azalea last Friday. When they approached his car, he opened fire and struck Dickerson in the stomach area. Marshals returned fire and killed Carlstrom.
“Sometimes, unfortunately, with the type of people we deal with you have to have a mean side,” Dickerson said.
Carlstrom was wanted for the May 7 murder of a 61-year-old man in Smithsville, Arkansas. Dickerson is glad marshals caught up to him but wishes he would have surrendered peacefully.
“He had every opportunity. He could have avoided this,” Dickerson said.
The choice cost him his life and wounded a man who has dedicated his career to protecting others.
Bob Dickerson got his start in law enforcement at the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, where he worked as a deputy before going to college for a criminal justice degree.
The will to serve is in his blood, and his father said he accepts the risks that come with the job.
“He’s no stranger to the rain,” he said.
