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| Updated: 3/01/2012 7:00 pm |
Published: 3/01/2012 6:56 pm |
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The shooting death of a constable at a Pine Bluff gas station in January was determined to be justified by the Jefferson County prosecuting attorney.
In his findings released Thursday, Prosecuting Attorney S. Kyle Hunter said that Edward Blundell and Constable Tommy Holcomb engaged in a verbal altercation outside of their cars at a Speedway convenience store. Hunter says Blundell made Holcomb aware that he had a gun, and got back into his car and closed the door.
That is when Holcomb went up to the car with a gun in his hand. While at the passenger window, Blundell fired his gun at Holcomb, and Holcomb returned fire.
About the shooting, Hunter says, “I have concluded that Edward Blundell was justified in his action under Arkansas law in that he was reasonable in believing that deadly force was about to be used against him, therefore, no charges will be filed against Mr. Blundell for causing Mr. Holcomb’s death.”
Hunter said that Holcomb also did not commit any crimes with his actions that day, saying “his error was simply that he failed to communicate the fact that he was a law enforcement officer. He was in plain clothes, and his badge was in his back pocket.”
The prosecuting attorney says that Blundell did not have a license to carry his gun and will be charged with Carrying a Weapon, a misdemeanor. That charge carries a possible sentence of one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
