Ark. officer killed, trooper wounded in shooting; suspect dead

Associated Press

STUTTGART, Ark. — An Arkansas police officer was shot and killed, and the suspect later died in a shootout with a state police SWAT team that wounded a state trooper, Arkansas State Police said Thursday.

Jacob Cole Barnes, 31, fatally shot Stuttgart police Sgt. Donald Scoby, 45, late Wednesday, police said in a news release. Barnes, of Mountain View, was shot and killed early Thursday during a standoff at a home near Stuttgart, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) southeast of Little Rock, police said.

Stuttgart police attempted to stop the vehicle Barnes was driving about 11 p.m. Wednesday, state police said. The statement did not explain the reason for the attempted traffic stop.

A pursuit ensued, then Barnes abandoned the car and he shot Scoby during a subsequent foot pursuit, police said.

Barnes forced his way inside a home. A female resident hid from Barnes inside the home and was later freed by state police, unharmed, according to the police statement.

During the standoff, Barnes shot and injured a SWAT team member “who sustained a non-life threatening wound,” the statement said, adding. “Barnes was fatally wounded during an exchange of gunfire with SWAT team members.”

Authorities have not said how many troopers opened fire.