2 Soldiers shot at Little Rock Recruiting Center - 1 dies

picture of suspect


One Dead, One Injured in West Little Rock Shooting
from KATV7 NEWS
posted 06/01/09 1:03 pm

Little Rock - One person is dead, another seriously injured, and a third is in custody following a double shooting in west Little Rock Monday morning.

Authorities say the incident occurred around 10:00 a.m. at a U.S. Army Navy Career Center inside the Ashley Square Shopping Center at 9112 North Rodney Parham Road. According to Lt. Terry Hastings with the Little Rock Police Department, two enlisted soldiers standing outside the office were hit when the unidentified suspect drove up and began shooting.

Both of the wounded were taken to a nearby hospital, where one of the victims died a short time later, according to police.

The suspect led police on a brief pursuit towards downtown Little Rock, before being taken into custody in the area of the Interstate 30/630 interchange. According to the Little Rock Fire Department, a bomb squad was called to the scene to investigate a suspicious package inside the suspect's vehicle. Authorities say the search was based on information that the SUV had explosives inside. A two-block area around the scene has been evacuated.

Hastings said a little after noon that investigators had not yet questioned the suspect. Police were still at the recruiting office processing evidence from the crime scene.

Hastings said he did not know whether the recruiting office was specifically targeted by the attacker or randomly chosen.

Neither the victims nor suspects were named by authorities.

According to Army Lt. Col. Thomas F. Artis, the two victims were not recruiters, but part of a recruiting program called "Hometown Recruiting Assistance." Artis says recruiters use soldiers to tell their stories and talk to potential recruits while they are visiting or based back in their home region.
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