Little Rock motel shootout with officers sends parolee to hospital

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – One person is in the hospital after a shootout between the Department of Community Corrections and a 16-time repeat felon at a Little Rock motel Monday morning.

A parolee is accused of pulling a handgun on officers while they were serving warrants. One of those officers' clothing was grazed before they returned fire, hitting the parolee in the midsection. Arkansas State Police are investigating the incident by request.

The officer-involved shooting happened around 9:30 A.M. at Motel 6 on Bankhead Drive near the Little Rock Airport. When it comes to metal whirring through the sky, people staying there said they are more used to planes, not bullets.

Renee, a witness staying at the motel who wished to go only by her middle name said Monday was different.

"We just heard three gunshots this morning. They don't back down," Renee said.

Officers in the Division of Community Corrections returned fire on a parolee who pulled a handgun as they were serving warrants.

According to the Arkansas Department of Corrections, the man violated his parole by skipping check-ins. They also say he was the first to shoot.

"Didn't think nothing else of it. Next thing we know the police are here," Renee described.

Authorities say the parolee is a level 3 sex offender with 16 felony convictions since 2009, including three counts of sexual assault and two counts of aggravated assault. His warrants were for theft of property, possession of narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

An ambulance transported the injured parolee to the hospital where he is being treated for a gunshot wound. While some people could return to their rooms, others, including DeMarkis Jones, had to wait in the heat for ASP to investigate.

"I just tried to go in my room from the back side, and they turned me around and said my room is by the crime scene," Jones said.

"They're going to take their time. You can't rush it," he added.

No officers were injured. However, one of the shots clipped through an officer's clothing. The Department of Corrections said the parolee will not be identified until his family is informed of the shooting and the ASP investigation.

"It's been quiet out here since we've been here, but not today so I don't know. We'll probably be checking out Friday and moving somewhere else," Renee said.

from KARK https://ift.tt/9t5zJNU