CROSS COUNTY, Ark. — The Cross County, Arkansas Sheriff was shot and a suspect was killed during a police chase and shootout Sunday.
A witness told officers they saw Darius Kirkwood leaving the residence before police arrived. A Wynne police officer later spotted Kirkwood heading toward Wynne on Highway 64 traveling at a high rate of speed, forcing other vehicles from the highway.
Kirkwood refused to stop during the officer’s attempted traffic stop and led Cross County Sheriff’s Deputies in a police chase along U.S. Highway 1 turning and eventually stopping onto a country road.
Officials said Kirkwood ignored commands from law enforcement to exit his vehicle. When officers approached Kirkwood’s vehicle to forcibly remove him, gunshots began to ring out.
Kirkwood died on the scene and Sheriff David West was shot in the arm, according to Cross County Judge Donnie Sanders. West was taken to Memphis for treatment and released Monday.
“I actually took the Sheriff to the hospital after the shooting to get him checked out here at the local hospital and then he was later transported to the Med in Memphis,” Chief Richard Dennis said.
According to Arkansas State Police, it began when police in Parkin, Arkansas were called to a home before 9 p.m. Sunday, 3 where they found two people suffering from gunshot wounds.
Shoron Selvy, 47, died from his injuries. Patricia Pepper, 55, was transported to a Memphis hospital and is listed as in stable condition.
Herman Harris is Selvy’s Uncle and says he just can’t process what happened to his nephew and why.
“Every morning, if I’m there, he’ll always wave,” he said “‘How are you uncle Pete.’ As long as I’ve known him we never had a negative conversation.”
The initial report from the ASP does not give the names of the officers who fired shots.
