Posted on

Little Rock Police Department told to reinstate officer involved in shooting

Little Rock Police Department  told to reinstate officer  involved in shooting

Share

LITTLE ROCK — The city of Little Rock has been ordered to reinstate a police officer who was fired for fatally shooting a black motorist.

Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox on Thursday reversed the Little Rock Civil Service Commission’s ruling upholding the termination of Officer Charles Starks over the fatal shooting of Bradley Blackshire. Dashcam video showing a Little Rock police officer on the hood of a moving car that had been reported stolen firing 15 times into the vehicle’s windshield, killing the driver, drew criticism and allegations of excessive deadly force.

The Little Rock Police Department released footage of the Feb. 22 incident on Tuesday, which Mayor Frank Scott said was part of an effort to be “accountable, clear and transparent” in a statement posted to Twitter.

Scott said the department compiled dashcam footage, video from nearby businesses’ security cameras, and radio traffic to create a nearly 25-minute video showing the confrontation between Officer Charles Starks and 30-year-old Bradley Blackshire.

Starks was responding to a call after a detective confirmed that Blackshire was driving a car that was reported stolen. In the video released by police, Starks can be seen walking up to Blackshire’s car with a gun drawn and instructing him to get out of the car multiple times. The 30-year-old refuses, asking “What did I do?” and “What are you going to shoot me for?”

before slowly accelerating and hitting the officer.

Starks then fired into the windshield multiple times before Berkshire stops and the officer leans on the hood. Berkshire then continues to drive the car with Starks on the hood, leading the police officer to shoot at the vehicle’s windshield several more times.

Starks was on paid leave, pending investigation before being terminated.

Disciplinary records reviewed by the paper showed Starks had been reprimanded 10 times since 2015, leading to nearly a month’s worth of suspensions.

***

Seismic activity along New Madrid fault continues in 2020

JONESBORO — The new year got off to a shaky start.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported two quakes along the New Madrid seismic zone struck within hours of each other.

The first quake, measuring 1.7 magnitude, registered at 8:52 p.m. Wednesday. It was located about 5 miles west of East Prairie, Mo.

Around 12:53 a.m. Thursday, the USGS registered a 1.9 magnitude quake about 5 miles west of Tiptonville, Tenn., and about 29 miles east-northeast of Kennett, Mo.

In the last month weeks, the U.S. Geological Survey recorded more than 20 earthquakes along the New Madrid fault line.

According to the USGS, most of the tremors have been occurring at a depth of 1.5 to 3.5 miles).

More than 100 minor earthquake were recorded along the New Madrid seismic zone in 2019, which the USGS calls the “most seismically active in North America east of the Rockies.”

***

Arkansans encouraged to make Smart911 profile

HARRISON — Smart 911 is not only helpful for dispatchers and first responders. The Boone County 911 director says it also could help save your life.

Without saying a word, you can now tell emergency dispatchers a lot.

“If it’s a medical call, we can share that information: what medications you’re on or equipment you use to help you breathe, with EMS,” said Boone County 911 director Daniel Bolen.

“Smart 911 also integrates with Rapid SOS, so that gives us a very accurate and quick location on that caller,” Smart911 is a free phone app and website where users can put in personal information like medications they’re on, where they live and who lives with them.

Dispatchers can also text the caller if he or she is unable to talk.

“If you’re hiding in your closet, we can tell them where you’re hiding at in the closet,” Bolen said. “You can tell us what floor you’re on.”

A recent update helps people get to safety during natural disasters or other emergencies.

To make a Smart911 profile, visit www.smart911.

com.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LAST NEWS
Scroll Up