A man believed to reside in Springdale was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with Arkansas State Troopers today during a pursuit and brief armed standoff along the northbound lanes of Interstate 49. The suspect was taken to a Washington County hospital where he underwent surgery and is reported to be in stable condition.
Federal and state authorities are working together to confirm the identity of the individual.
At 10:58 AM a state trooper patrolling I-49 spotted a vehicle traveling northbound that matched the description of one driven by suspect involved in an earlier robbery of an Alma bank.
The driver of the vehicle, later confirmed to be the robbery suspect, refused to comply with a traffic stop and fled from the trooper. A pursuit continued into Washington County when the suspect reportedly began firing a gun at law enforcement officers who returned fire.
A precision immobilization technique was used by state troopers involved in the pursuit, causing the suspect to drive the vehicle off the highway at the 56 mile marker and travel into a wooded area where the driver again began shooting at officers who returned fire.
The suspect was taken into custody and transported to an area hospital. No law enforcement officers were injured in the pursuit or shooting incidents.
Consistent with Arkansas State Police policy, two state troopers have been placed on administrative leave while the use of deadly force review is underway.