Arkansas shooting suspect dies in shootout with authorities
Apr 4, 2022, 12:57 PM | Updated: 1:08 pm
PARKIN, Ark. (AP) — A man suspected of fatally shooting one person and wounding another at an Arkansas home led officers on a car chase before being killed in a shootout with them, officials said.
Darius Kirkwood, 20, ignored commands to exit his vehicle following the chase Sunday night, Arkansas State Police said. As officers approached his vehicle, there was an exchange of gunfire, with Kirkwood dying at the scene and Cross County Sheriff David West being injured, state police said.
West was taken to a hospital and released Monday, state police said.
Police in Parkin, located about 30 miles northwest of Memphis, Tennessee, had been called to a home just before 9 p.m., where they found two people — Shoron Selvy, 47, and Patricia Pepper, 55 — with gunshot wounds. Selvy later died and Pepper was hospitalized in stable condition, state police said.
A witness identified Kirkwood, who was seen leaving the house before police arrived, state police said. A short time later, a Wynne police officer spotted Kirkwood traveling on U.S. Highway 64 toward that city, located about 15 miles west of Parkin, state police said.
The officer tried to stop Kirkwood’s vehicle, which was driving at a high rate of speed and forcing other motorists from the highway, state police said.
As Cross County sheriff’s deputies joined in the pursuit, Kirkwood continued through Wynne and headed south on U.S. Highway 1 toward Forrest City, state police said.
Kirkwood then turned onto a county road before stopping, state police said.
State police say officers from Wynne police and the Cross County sheriff’s office fired their weapons at Kirkwood in the exchange of gunfire.
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