Bruce Roberts, once a reporter for the Ozark County Times, was in “midtown Mountain Home” across from Harp’s plaza at the Casey’s gas station putting up a sign when he paused and caught video of an incident in Mountain Home, Arkansas on March 31 at about 7:30 p.m. A motorcyclist apparently shot or shot at a police officer and was then shot in return. The shooter/suspect was alive when transported to Baxter Regional.
“I heard a commotion across the street at the gas station There was a Motorcyclist who was being real belligerent with police officers, and they had him surrounded and were trying to diffuse whatever the situation is or was, but they had the motorcyclist surrounded. He became real belligerent and aggressive with them. They drew their weapons on him. He started walking off and telling the officers ‘just shoot me…shoot me’. He walked over underneath this Arvest bank sign. He apparently pulled a weapon and shot at or shot one of the officers,” Roberts told the video audience.
“One of the police officers fell to the ground. Two other shots were fired immediately after from the police officers. The suspect hit the ground. The police officer stood right back up almost immediately so I’m hoping that if he did get hit, he got hit in a bulletproof vest and will be all right. The suspect was hit at least once maybe twice by police officers who fired on him after he apparently pulled a weapon and fired at them.”
“I will say I’ve been a journalist for 20 years. First time I’ve ever been able to record this critical a breaking news live,” Roberts said. “To see it and record it live is just really disturbing.”
“When you are a police officer and somebody draws a weapon on you, you have two choices, this is my opinion,” Roberts said, “either take him down or you’re going to be taken out.”
“All of this is not confirmed, but I was just recording this as an altercation.”
During the recording, an unidentified witness told Roberts, “He had a gun and he shot the police officer first.”
Video link: https://www.facebook.com/bruce.roberts.35/videos/10208757423129527
We have no further information available on the condition of the officer or the suspect. The Baxter Bulletin arrived at the scene and follow up article will appear there according to Roberts.
