Family Dollar robbery ends in gunfight with police

Suspects in custody, ASP investigating violent incident

news@theeveningtimes.com State police special agents continued their investigation following a West Memphis police officer involved shooting incident that left two jailed and one suspect shot after an armed store robbery. Nickalous Reed Jones, 24, of Memphis was wounded by police and hospitalized briefly before being jailed.

Initial reports to agents assigned to the case indicated the gunshot wound to Jones’ leg and foot were not life-threatening.

DeAngelo Wright was also detained and disarmed by police a short distance from store. Police were dispatched for a shoplifting theft on Tuesday April 27, at the Family Dollar Store, located at 2113 East Broadway but it turned out to be much more. While responding to the initial call, West Memphis police spotted a pedestrian matching the given description.

Patrol Division Captain James Presley reported to police commissioners on Monday that responding officers intercepted a suspect one half a block from the hold up. Police disarmed 23-year-old DeAngelo Wright, also of Memphis, as he walked down East Broadway.

“It came out as a shoplifting call and officers responded to the scene to make contact with one guy in front of Big Star,” said Presley. “They detained him for the moment, didn’t know exactly what we had. He had a gun on him. The other subject (Jones) took off running, fled down the street.”

For his part, police booked Wright with aggravated robbery and criminal attempt to commit capital murder. He was held on a $500,000 bond.

Presley said police caught up to the second suspect, Jones, at South Eighteenth Street where Jones and an officer exchanged gunfire.

No officers were injured during the gunplay.

“As Jones fled, he shot at officers twice,” said Presley. “The officer returned fire and struck him in the leg and the foot. We understand the whole incident was caught on video from a business across the street and it shows the officers did nothing wrong. The officer is on administrative duty now and surely will be justified and cleared of this.”

Assistant Police Chief Brent Bradley responded to South Eighteenth Street and spoke directly to the officer involved in the

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Photos courtesy of CCSO SHOOTOUT (cont.)

WMPD saved his life,” said Bradley. “He was shaken up, but he was able to go home to his family.”

Police charged Jones with aggravated robbery and criminal attempt to commit capital murder and he was held on a $500,000 bond.

Bradley issued a warning to those commuting into the city from elsewhere in the mid-south with criminal intentions.

“We will continue to enforce the laws as written and utilize our use of force policy as intended,” said Bradley. “If you shoot at my officers, they will shoot back. Criminals from Tennessee should consider this before they come over here to prey on our community.”

West Memphis police authorities immediately requested the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division to conduct an investigation of the officer’s use of deadly force. Upon completion of the investigation, the case fille was set to be turned over to the Crittenden County prosecuting attorney to determine whether the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer was consistent with Arkansas laws.