| Updated: 7/17/2008 4:42 pm |
Published: 7/16/2008 10:57 am |
One man is dead at the hands of Little Rock Police Officers. It started with a burglary investigation and the officers say when they went to question the man he pointed a gun at them.
Wednesday morning there were nearly 30 police cars along with crime scene investigators and some very concerned neighbors on Gillette Street, all shocked to learn police shot and killed a man.
The Officers were Sgt. Steve Woodall, Detective Michael Ford and Detective Clay Hastings.
"It’s a pretty quiet neighborhood like I say a lot of families, ordinary folks," says Susan Reasoner who lives in the area.
Shots exchanged between three Little Rock Police Officers and William Spradling, 24, at 621 Gillette Street interrupted that peacefulness Wednesday morning. The officers were investigating a burglary and went to talk to William Collin Spradling. The victim of the burglary says Spradling stole a 9 millimeter handgun among other things.
The officers found Spradling and tried to arrest him. That's when they say he pulled a gun on them.
“We originally said we did believe the weapon did fire. Detectives did believe it did fire...but we haven't found a shell casing for that weapon. So we want to make sure that information is accurate. But he did pull the weapon and he did direct the weapon at the officers and he did have the intent of using it," says Terry Hastings with the Little Rock Police.
Spradling's girlfriend says it was her mother's house Spradling was accused of breaking into. She didn't want to be interviewed but says they never meant for this to happen.
The police ended up shooting him to death. The officers involved in the shooting are on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Hastings says officers thought this would be a routine questioning of a suspect.
"Did not expect the armed and dangerous part of that, a lot of times you never know that's why we're prepared even something that seems simple can turn into a deadly situation," says Hastings.
People who live in Leawood say they're shocked that it did. News of the shooting quickly spread through the neighborhood by word of mouth and email.
Reasoner says, "It is surprising I hope I don't lose sleep over this."
"You don't expect things like this to happen around here but bad stuff is going on everywhere," says Joe Binz.
Police say the man who was killed was actually a visitor at the home. At this time they don't know if the people who live here were involved in the burglary officers were investigating.
The officers involved suffered minor cuts and bruises from the scuffle. It’s customary for officers to be put on administrative leave after these types of incidences. Police say they are conducting two separate investigations, one into the initial burglary and the other into the shooting itself.
