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| Scene of shooting at Springdale Walmart |
UPDATED -- See below
Police were called to a report of a suspicious person in the parking lot a Walmart Neighborhood Market store in Springdale, Arkansas. The man pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at officers, who then fired upon the man. The shots hit the man's van.
The man then barricaded himself in the van, along with a menagerie of chickens, ducks, and parakeets, until police were able to get him out and arrest him.
From an article:
Springdale Police officers arrested 40-year-old Rainbow Kilo Rasphoumy following a stand-off and officer-involved shooting at a Walmart Neighborhood Market.
A Springdale officer fired seven shots at the suspect during the stand-off at the parking lot of a Walmart Neighborhood Market, according to Peters. The shots hit the van, but did not injure Rasphoumy, according to the news release.
Police said Wednesday morning at 7:47 a.m. dispatchers received a report about a suspicious person in a van located at Robinson Avenue and Butterfield Coach Rd.
When officers attempted a traffic stop, the van pulled into the parking lot of a neighborhood market on Butterfield Coach Rd and Hwy 412. While he was cooperative with officers at first, police said he ran back to the van and barricaded himself inside.
According to the release, Police used a taser after Rasphoumy tried to kick officers. He then pointed what appeared to be a handgun towards the officers, Peters said.
The SWAT team and crisis negotiators were called to the scene. After Rasphoumy surrendered, Peters said police discoverd the handgun was a black plastic toy gun.
Officers also found three parakeets, three chickens and two ducks.
There will be an internal investigation and the officer who fired the shots is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is department policy.A related news article with video.
Walmart. Save money. Die faster.
UPDATE (6/15/13): More details have emerged on the encounter (bolding added):
Rasphoumy is scheduled to appear in the same court on July 12 for an arraignment to enter a plea.
Police said he pointed a toy gun at officers June 12 outside the Walmart Neighborhood Market at 3553 E. Robinson Ave. in Springdale before barricading himself in a van. An officer fired seven shots, with each shot hitting the van, police said.
At 7:47 a.m. on June 12, police said Rasphoumy’s niece called and said he had been outside her home for about an hour. She said the man had mental problems and often bothers her, according to a 911 call.
Police said she provided a description of his van, which officers later tried to stop at Robinson Avenue and Butterfield Coach Road, authorities said. Police said he pulled into the Walmart parking lot.
Rasphoumy got out of the van at the officer’s request, according to a police report, but soon became uncooperative and got back in the vehicle.
Police said he grabbed an object similar to a flute and raised it above his hands as if he were going to hit the officers. The police report states Rasphoumy attempted to kick the officers, and they used a Taser on him, but that did not stop him.
Rasphoumy pulled what appeared to be a handgun on them, police said. Officers attempted take cover, but while on the move, one officer fired seven shots at the van, the report states.
Rasphoumy was not hit. He barricaded himself in the van, eyewitnesses said. No one else was in the van, police said.
Rasphoumy was taken into custody about 9 a.m. after talking with police negotiators, authorities said.
Investigators told 5NEWS they recovered a black plastic toy gun that resembled a snub-nose revolver, three chickens, two ducks and three parakeets from the van. The birds were all alive, officials said.
Investigators later recovered a a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, an ax and other weapons from the van, according to police.
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