Little Rock's 'hands-on' police chief is suspended 'after accidentally shooting woman, 22, while aiming for another female suspect, 29, during NYE patrol
SNARKY MEDIA GROUP NYE SHOOTING IN LITTLE ROCK COVERAGE GOES INTERNATIONAL:
Little Rock's 'hands-on' police chief is suspended 'after accidentally shooting
woman, 22, while aiming for another female suspect, 29, during NYE patrol
woman, 22, while aiming for another female suspect, 29, during NYE patrol
Little Rock's police chief has been suspended after he accidentally shot and critically injured a woman while aiming at another woman filmed shooting a gun on New Years Eve.
Police Chief Keith Humphrey was put on leave in accordance with the Little Rock Police Department guidelines for officer-involved shootings on Saturday, one day after he shot and critically injured 22-year-old Kelecia Mayo as he tried to take down suspected shooter Taz Hayes, 29.
Dramatic video showed a woman arguing with a man before smashing the window of a car with a phone. A second woman - said to be Hayes - then runs into shot and opens fire, but doesn't hit anyone.
Humphrey, who was out on patrol as part of an 'all hands on deck' initiative, is said to have struck Mayo moments later.
'On New Year's Eve, Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey initiated an all-hands-on-deck approach to patrol just as he's don in the past and required command staff to patrol the city,' Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. tweeted Saturday afternoon.
'While patrolling, Chief Humphrey saw a disturbance that, unfortunately, led to a shooting,' Scott confirmed.
'This is an unprecedented situation because it involves our chief of police,' he added, noting that the Arkansas State Police are now investigating the incident.
Humphrey was on patrol around the city on Friday when he saw a fight break out in a gas station parking lot just before 9pm, according to Arkansas State Police.
As he got out of his patrol car, authorities say, a woman fired her weapon into the group. Humphrey then reportedly fired his gun at the suspected shooter, 29-year-old Taz Hayes, but missed her - instead hitting bystander Kelecia Mayo, 22.
Mayo was then rushed to a Little Rock hospital, where she was listed in critical condition as of Saturday morning.
The city has now asked the state police to investigate both the initial fight and Humphrey's response in an effort to remain 'accountable, clear and transparent,' Scott tweeted.
The state police investigators have already recovered a bullet from a vehicle in the parking lot and will examine it to determine if it was fired by Humphrey, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.
Once the investigation is complete, state police investigators will submit their findings to a state prosecutor who will determine if Humphrey's use of force was consistent with Arkansas law.
In the meantime, Assistant Chief Crystal Haskins will temporarily serve as the city's chief of police.
ARKANSAS STATE POLICE VERSION
Arkansas State Police
LITTLE ROCK POLICE ASK STATE POLICE TO INVESTIGATE OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING
A Little Rock police officer involved shooting incident that occurred last night (Friday, December 31, 2021) and an armed disturbance that preceded the officer’s arrival at 5103 Asher Avenue are both under investigation by the Arkansas State Police. Commanders within the Little Rock Police Department requested state police investigate the incidents since both are interrelated.
At approximately 8:55 PM a Little Rock police officer on patrol traveling east on Asher Avenue witnessed a fight among a crowd outside the Super Stop convenience store and gas station. As the officer approached the store from Mary Street, Taz Hayes, 29, who had been among the individuals already on the parking lot, fired a gun into the disturbance. The shot left Kelecia Mayo, 22, wounded.
The Little Rock officer then fired his pistol at Hayes. A bullet later recovered by state police special agents from inside a vehicle on the parking lot will be examined at the Arkansas Crime Laboratory to determine if it’s the round fired by the officer. Hayes was uninjured and was taken into custody at the scene.
Mayo was transported to a Little Rock hospital and was initially assessed to be in critical condition.
State Police Special Agents assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division interviewed Hayes who was subsequently charged with battery (first degree) and incarcerated at the Pulaski County Detention Center.
Agents are continuing their investigation today and will later submit a case file to Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley who will use the investigation to assist him in determining whether the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer was consistent with Arkansas law.
Questions relating to the identity of the Little Rock police officer and his administrative status should be directed to the Little Rock Police Department Public Information Officer.
Video link to the NYE shooting:
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