2 police officers were killed in West Memphis today. 2 more were injured.
The drug suspects were pulled over on a drug interdiction stop around noon on Interstate 40. They shot the officers with AK-47s.
One of the dead suspects is shown here in the parking lot of the West Memphis Walmart, site of the second shooting scene. (Commercial Appeal)
Two police officers were shot dead in West Memphis today and two others were injured in a shootout. The suspects were shot dead in their van at a Walmart. Police had pulled over a white van with Ohio plates (belonging to a church) when they were shot ded. FOX News reported that the suspects were Hispanic. CNN reported that the suspects used automatic weapons.
Interstate 40, where the shootings occurred, is a known drug route.
WMCTV has video of the shootout at the Walmart.
WCRB reported:
Two West Memphis police officers have been shot and killed near a busy interstate highway and media accounts say two suspects also have been shot and killed.
1 of the dead officers is the son of the West Memphis police chief. The Commercial Appeal newspaper of Memphis, Tenn., said two Crittenden County sheriff’s deputies were wounded when they exchanged gunfire with the suspects in a Wal-Mart parking lot.
The newspaper and TV station WMC reported that the two suspects were killed.
Police chief Bob Paudert said his son Brandon was 1 of the officers killed. The other dead officer is Bill Evans. The chief said the officers had pulled over a vehicle with an Ohio license plate along Interstate 40.
UPDATE: I called the West Memphis police tonight. They have not yet released information on the suspects. There will likely be another press conference tomorrow.
–Please keep the families and friends of these brave men in your thoughts and prayers.
UPDATE: (Friday AM) The two suspects haven’t been identified. Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler declined to say whether investigators knew anything about the men, but said authorities don’t believe others were involved in the shooting. Investigators have refused to name the suspects, say where they’re from or even give their race or nationality.
The suspect’s van was stolen.