Arkansas Officer Who Was 'Ambushed And Executed' Was Son Of Retired Texas Sergeant
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (CBSDFW.COM) - An Arkansas officer who was "ambushed and executed" was known as a hero and came from a family of law enforcement, police said Sunday.
Police said Fayetteville officer Stephen Carr, 27, died Saturday evening after he was shot in the head while he was sitting in his patrol car outside police headquarters.
The suspected gunman, later identified as 35-year-old London Phillips, was then confronted by two officers who rushed out after hearing the gunshots. After chasing him into an alleyway, Phillips was eventually shot to death by the two officers.
During a news conference Sunday, Chief Mike Reynolds talked about Carr and said, "He's a hero... He was an all-American boy. He came from a law enforcement family. He knew what the job was about and he just wanted to serve his community."
It was later learned that Carr joined the department in August 2017 and was the son of a retired Houston police sergeant.
Reynolds called the killing of the officer "a cowardly act" and said he believes Phillips was "looking for an officer to kill."
The department's history with Phillips included an incident in 2018 involving him impersonating an officer, police said.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office and FBI will be investigating the shooting. The officers who fatally shot Phillips were placed on administrative leave per department policy as the investigation is underway.
Carr's death came just hours after a Houston officer, Christopher Brewster, was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call. A suspect was arrested in that shooting and was charged with capital murder.
