A Sebastian County sheriff’s deputy has died, while a west Arkansas town’s police chief was injured Wednesday when a man opened fire on officers.
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Hackett Police Chief Darrell Spells, who was also shot at by Jones, was grazed in the forehead and was released from the hospital, Hollenbeck said. Police tried to apprehend Jones earlier Wednesday, but could not because Jones began to shoot at them.
The other is Sebastian County Deputy Bill Cooper. Jones had barricaded himself inside his home in Greenwood, and was in a standoff with officers.
The shooting happened before 7:20 a.m. outside a residence in the 4700 block of Arkansas 253, which is between Greenwood and Midland. Law officers, under fire, rescued Cooper and Spells and also civilians who had taken cover, the sheriff said. Spells was treated and released several hours later. “He loved this community so much he stayed on”, Hollenbeck said. The officer’s conditions were not immediately clear. He was also an officer with Fort Smith Police Department and was a marine.
Sebastian County Deputy Bill Cooper was pronounced dead in hospital. Corporal Cooper has been employed with the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office since 2001 and served five years with the Fort Smith Police Department. Eventually, Jones waved a white towel at authorities and peacefully surrendered. Once shots were fired, multiple surrounding agencies responded to the call.
Court documents show Jones was arrested in February on charges of Possession of a Firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony, and of Possession of Oxycodone.
“I am deeply saddened by the news that Sebastian County Sheriffs Deputy Bill Cooper has passed away after being shot in the line of duty this morning”.
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“It’s a risky business and it really illustrates the importance of our support for law enforcement”, Hutchinson told reporters at an event in North Little Rock.
