Prosecuting Attorney S. Kyle Hunter ruled Thursday that no felony charges will be filed in the death of Tommy Holcomb Sr., 60, who was shot to death Jan. 11 and is the younger brother of Jefferson County Judge Mike Holcomb.
“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,” Hunter said in a news release. “Therefore, no charges will be filed against Mr. Blundell for causing Mr. Holcomb’s death.”
County Judge Mike Holcomb said late Thursday he did not want to comment on Hunter’s decision.
“My family is still hurting and this was something that should not have happened,” Mike Holcomb said.
Hunter said Blundell, 29, will be charged with carrying a weapon, a misdemeanor, because he did not have a license to carry the handgun he used. Carrying a weapon is punishable by up to a year in the county jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Hunter said Holcomb was an elected constable (of Niven Township) and had a right to carry a handgun.
“My findings conclude that Mr. Holcomb was not committing any crimes at the time of his death and his error was simply that he failed to communicate the fact that he was a law enforcement officer,” Hunter said. “He was in plain clothes and his badge was in his back pocket.”
The shooting occurred at the Speedway at 3700 S. Camden Road at about 5:45 p.m. Both men exchanged gunfire. Holcomb, 60, was pronounced dead at 7:06 p.m. by a doctor in the Emergency Room at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. Blundell was hit by a bullet that did not penetrate his chest and was taken to the hospital by his wife Carrie. He was treated and released. The Blundells’ 1-year-old child was in the backseat of their vehicle at the time of the incident.
In making his determination, Hunter said he conducted an extensive investigation in cooperation with the Pine Bluff Police Department, which included reviewing witness statements, interviewing witnesses and analyzing video from the business “that captured events of that evening.”
Hunter said the shooting occurred after a car driven by Carrie Blundell and a vehicle driven by Holcomb nearly collided on the parking lot of the convenience store in Watson Chapel.
“Mr. Blundell and Mr. Holcomb engaged in a verbal altercation outside of their vehicles,” Hunter said in the news release. “Mr. Blundell made Mr. Holcomb aware that he had a gun as he got back in the front passenger seat of his car and closed the door.
“Mr. Holcomb approached the passenger window of Mr. Blundell’s car with a gun in his hand,” Hunter said. “While Mr. Holcomb was at the window of the car, Mr. Blundell fired at Mr. Holcomb and Mr. Holcomb returned fire.”
According to a police report from Officer Nathan Smith, the passenger side window of the vehicle Blundell and his wife were in had a hole in it and two .9-millimeter shell casings were in the front passenger seat.
“Mr. Holcomb’s death is a tragedy and a horrible loss, not only to his family, but to the entire community,” Hunter said. “We in law enforcement are thankful for his many years of service.”