The chief and the deputy were brought by ambulance to Sparks Medical Center, a hospital official confirmed.
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Local media reports did not indicate what led up to the shooting but said the suspect has previously been convicted on drug charges.
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).
Crawford County Sheriff Ron Brown is responding with deputies for assistance.
The shooting happened before 7:20 a.m. outside a residence in the 4700 block of Arkansas 253, which is between Greenwood and Midland.
During the encounter, Jones shot at and damaged a police robot providing surveillance to the responding officers, Hollenbeck said.
Sebastian County Sheriff’s Lt. Philip Pevehouse tells Fort Smith television station KHBS that negotiators are attempting the reach the suspect.
Jones had gone to his father’s house earlier Wednesday to take some tools, Hollenbeck said. Police said that Jones barricaded himself inside a home near Mockingbird Hill Road and is in a standoff with officers. Officers eventually talked Jones into coming out of the house peacefully with his hands up and he was arrested and taken to the Crawford County Detention Center. Law enforcement is asking people to stay away from the area.
Local media described Jones as a convicted felon who has animosity towards law enforcement.
“As far as I know, he was all right”, he said. “There’s a lot that just the normal public doesn’t understand what we do every day, and I think us just being able to understand each other, our own emotions, and our own feelings kind of helps when we do the job every day”.
The incident was reported Wednesday morning in the area of Hwy.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said he did not have details about the shooting but he added the incident underscores the danger the state’s law enforcement officers face. Chief Spells had “superficial wounds”, said Sheriff Hollenbeck.
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Deputy Bill Cooper’s funeral will be on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at 10 a.m.at the Community Bible Church in Fort Smith. “We stand by you during this hard time”, the governor said.
