Information released by the Sebastian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office states that Deputy Cooper was shot in the head and Chief Spells was shot in the leg. KFSM 5 News reported that a K-9 officer that was inside a auto when the incident began was shot and ran away from the scene. Two police helicopters had been deployed and The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette said a SWAT team was reportedly on scene.
Advertisement
The suspect is the police shooting in Sebastian County has been identified as Billy Jones. The other officer, Hackett Police Chief Darrell Spells, had “superficial wounds”.
James Markward, 72, who lives nearby, said he heard the commotion early Wednesday.
The officers are believed to have arrived to execute a warrant when they were attacked at around 7am local time this morning (1pm United Kingdom time). Cooper and Spells were among officers who found Jones with a rifle and body armor when they went to his home east of Hackett, near the Oklahoma border.
Hollenbeck said the motivation for the shooting was unclear. Negotiations were also attempted during the standoff but Jones “never actively responded to negotiations”, Hollenbeck said.
Jones surrendered Wednesday by waving a white towel out the window, walked out of the home with his hands up, and laid down on the ground to be handcuffed, KFSM reported.
Law enforcement block an intersection during a stand off after two officers where shot in Sebastian County in Western Arkansas on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.
A statement from Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said that the deputy who was shot died Wednesday afternoon.
Representative Bruce Westerman, whose district includes part of Sebastian County, echoed the governor’s support for police state-wide.
“This has to stop”, Westerman said. That’s about 115 miles west of Little Rock.
Police negotiators and armed surrounded the mobile home before the suspect was arrested.
Advertisement
Pevehouse couldn’t immediately be reached by The Associated Press. Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler said his agency is assisting but he referred all questions to Sebastian County authorities.
