Arkansas cop, 27, is ‘executed’ by 35-year-old gunman who shot into his patrol vehicle parked behind the police department – before the suspect is gunned down by officers
- Arkansas officer Stephen Carr, 27, was shot and killed on Saturday evening
- He was in his patrol vehicle behind the Fayetteville Police Department when suspect gunman London T. Phillips, 35, shot into the car
- Officers inside the police department rushed outside upon hearing gunshots
- They found Carr shot in his patrol car and rendered aid to him
- Suspect had a confrontation with officers, leading two cops to fire their weapons
- Both Carr and Phillips were declared dead at the scene
- The motive behind the shooting is not yet known
An Arkansas police officer was fatally shot by a gunman who opened fire behind a local police department.
Suspected gunman London T. Phillips, 35, started shooting at the back entrance of the Fayetteville, Arkansas Police Department on Saturday around 9.42pm.
The suspect ‘ambushed and executed’ Officer Stephen Carr, 27, by shooting into his patrol vehicle as he was parked at the police department. The officer later succumbed to his wounds.
Officers responded to the sound of gunshots and when they located the shooter, two cops fired their weapons at him.
Arkansas officer Stephen Carr, 27, was shot and killed on Saturday evening as he sat in his patrol car outside the Fayetteville Police Department
Suspected gunman London T. Phillips, 35, started shooting at the back entrance of the Fayetteville, Arkansas Police Department on Saturday around 9.42pm
‘Evidence shows that Officer Carr was ambushed and executed while sitting in his patrol vehicle,’ The Fayetteville Police Department said in a news release Sunday morning
Officers rendered aid to the officer and suspect. Both succumbed to their injuries and died at the scene.
‘Evidence shows that Officer Carr was ambushed and executed while sitting in his patrol vehicle,’ The Fayetteville Police Department said in a news release Sunday morning.
Carr had been with the Fayetteville Police department for two years, hired in April 2017. He was a patrol officer working in the Dickson street entertainment district.
‘He served our community with dedication and professionalism for the past 2 ½ years, he is a HERO. Our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Carr’s family during this tragic time,’ the police department said.
Officers inside the police department rushed outside upon hearing gunshots. They found Carr shot in his patrol car and rendered aid to him. Officers also found and shot the gunman
‘It appears the suspect came into the back parking lot and just executed my officer,’ Fayetteville Police Chief Mike Reynolds said in a press conference late Saturday
A preliminary investigation found that two officers, whose names were not released, fired at the suspect. Those officers were placed on paid administrative leave in compliance with city and police department policy.
Fayetteville police requested the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and FBI conduct an independent investigation.
Fayetteville Police Chief Mike Reynolds held a press conference Saturday night after the shooting.
‘It appears the suspect came into the back parking lot and just executed my officer,’ he said.
The Fayetteville Arkansas Police Department shared this post in April 2017 when Carr (pictured far left) first joined the force
He told reporters officers chased the suspect into an alleyway between the police department and the city prosecutor’s office and ‘engaged the suspect’.
Some witnesses reported hearing 15 to 20 shots, as per KFTA.
At this time the motive behind the attack is not known.
‘We think about stuff like this and we know it could happen here, but you hope it never does. It happened here. Now we’re here to pick up the pieces,’ Polices spokesman Sgt. Anthony Murphy said to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
The killing comes after the shooting death of a Houston police officer on Saturday night while responding to a domestic violence call.