One of the Pine Bluff Police officers involved in a Nov. 21 shooting that killed a suspect stated that the man who fled from a vehicle “began to fire numerous rounds, presumably at the approaching officers,” according to a police report.
That contradicts a statement from the Pine Bluff Police Department on Nov. 22 that said “it is now undetermined if the suspect fired a weapon at this time.” The statement came hours after police originally issued a news release stating officers exchanged gunfire with a suspect at approximately 10:30 p.m. Nov. 21 on 27th Avenue and Maple Street, resulting in the suspect being shot several times.
The suspect, identified as Jeremy Lawrence Jr., 23, was struck and collapsed in a yard on 28th Avenue after fleeing from a vehicle that PBPD officers attempted to stop on West 27th Avenue at about 10:30 p.m., according to a news release from Arkansas State Police. He was transported to Jefferson Regional Medical Center, where he died from his injuries, according to Pine Bluff and State Police.
That news release was issued at 6:40 p.m. Nov. 22, 12 minutes after PBPD stated whether the suspect fired a weapon was undetermined.
A PBPD spokesperson deferred questions about the case to State Police, which was asked by the PBPD to take over the investigation of the incident. A State Police spokeswoman said the agency is not permitted to release additional information during the investigation.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
State Police said on Nov. 22 it would prepare an investigative file to submit to the Jefferson County prosecuting attorney’s office, which will determine if the use of deadly force was consistent with state law.
Chris Wieland was one of six PBPD officers who filed narratives of the Nov. 21 shooting, according to at 13-page police report obtained by The Commercial through an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request. The report from Wieland listed four other victims – listed as “Society,” Derek Johnson, J.L. Williams and Corey Lowery.
Johnson, Williams and Lowery are police officers, according to the report. No injuries were listed, however.
“I transported Officer Lowery, Officer Johnson and Officer Williams to the Pine Bluff Police Department,” Wieland stated. “Upon arrival, Officer Lowery washed his hands. All three officers removed their gun belts, which were secured by me, and a chain of custody form was completed.”
The gun belts were later turned over to a State Police investigator, Wieland stated.
Officers Richard Carreno and Keenan Dickson were patrolling the area of South Olive Street and East Harding Avenue as a two-man unit, according to their narratives.
“While assisting with a domestic call, we heard multiple gunshots south of our location,” Carreno stated in his narrative. “Officer Derek Johnson canvassed an area where multiple calls were reported as a possible shooting area. As we got closer to Officer Johnson’s location, he advised that there were multiple spent brass in the area of West 32nd Avenue and South Plum Street.”
Upon arriving at Johnson’s location, Carreno stated, he observed a blue SUV approaching the intersection traveling north on South Plum. Johnson and another officer with the last name “Swoopes” or “Swoops,” Carreno stated, gave the driver of the SUV “several commands to stop driving” as the vehicle was going through an active investigation scene.
“I heard one of the officers say an occupant had a gun,” Carreno stated. “The vehicle disregarded commands from the officers to stop and began to flee north on South Plum Street, almost striking an officer in the process.”
Once information about the pursuit was sent out on the police radio, Carreno stated, several officers who were in the area joined it. He reported the SUV traveled north on South Plum, then east on West 31st Avenue, then north on South Linden Street, then west on West 27th Avenue.
The vehicle began traveling faster than 50 mph in a posted 35 mph zone, according to Carreno.
“At one point, the vehicle began to slow down, and I observed the rear driver door open, as an individual prepared to bail out on foot,” Carreno said. “The vehicle began accelerating again and the door was closed.”
As the pursuit continued, Carreno stated he maneuvered his unit to the driver side of the SUV to pin the driver-side doors “should the individual attempt to flee again.”
Carreno continued: “The vehicle came to a stop and an unknown Black male fled on foot from the right rear passenger door. The suspect ran in between two houses on the north side of the street.”
Lt. Jeremy Brown said in his narrative the vehicle eventually came to a stop at 1803 W. 27th Ave., adding the passenger later identified as Lawrence exited and fled on foot.
“While fleeing, Mr. Lawrence had a gun, running northwest behind the residence,” Brown wrote. “As Mr. Lawrence went behind the residence, I could hear multiple gunshots. Mr. Lawrence then ran back south on the west side of the residence.”
Carreno reported he, Dickson and “Swoopes” or “Swoops” exited the units and held the front driver and passenger at gunpoint. The driver was identified as Quinton Washington, 21, and the passenger was Jerry Pitts, 18. They were removed from the vehicle and placed in hand restraints, Brown said.
Washington was still held in the W.C. “Dub” Brassell Detention Center on suspicion of fleeing as of Tuesday afternoon. Pitts was not listed in the jail log.
Williams and Lowery, riding as a two-man unit, Carreno stated, drove in between the homes continuing to pursue the man, later identified by State Police as Lawrence.
“As a vehicle approached the homes, the unidentified male began to fire numerous rounds, presumably at the approaching officers,” Carreno stated. “A few seconds later, officers began returning fire as gunshots were exchanged behind the house. While continuing to hold the other two individuals inside of the vehicle at gunpoint, I observed the suspect flee south across West 27th Avenue with a pistol in his hand as officers pursued close behind.
“As the suspect fled behind homes on the south side of the street, more rounds were fired,” Carreno said. “Officer Johnson began to ask for medical assistance. I grabbed a medical kit from my unit and ran towards the area where the officers were.”
Carreno added he observed the suspect with multiple gunshot wounds to his lower body. Johnson began to ask for medical assistance, and officers Jesse Smith and Johnson applied tourniquets to the suspect before medical staff arrived, Carreno stated.
Wieland stated he learned Lawrence fled on foot while carrying a firearm and was informed that Lawrence pointed the firearm at officers, “causing them to return fire.” He did not state whether Lawrence fired any shots.
“Officer Corey Lowery had visible blood on him from rendering aid to Lawrence,” Wieland said, adding he requested MECA (Metropolitan Emergency Communication Association) to dispatch a crime scene technician. The tech photographed Lowery, police said.
Officers Chase Yancey and Blake Frisby also wrote narratives on the incident, stating they responded to the scene and rendered aid to Lawrence. Frisby said he stayed on the scene until he was relieved by fellow officers at 7 a.m.
Officers Johnson, Williams and Lowery have been placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the State Police and departmental investigations, according to a city official.