Officer Chris Rankin

Public Information Officer

903-798-3187 (office) 903-260-0294 (pager)

903-824-4199 (cell) 903-798-3023 (fax)

Texarkana Arkansas Police Badge

At 2:49p.m. Texarkana Arkansas Police Officers responded to a call of a trespasser at 5001 Blackmon Ferry Road. Dispatchers remained on the phone with the 911 caller and were able to advise responding officers of rapidly changing details. The caller identified the suspect as her estranged husband, Gary Lewis (48y.o.a. Texarkana, AR), and a restraining order against the suspect was confirmed to be in place. Another female occupant was in the house during the disturbance. The caller advised that the suspect was attempting to force entry into the house, and officers were also told that the suspect was carrying a box cutter.

As police were in route to the scene the situation inside the house quickly deteriorated. The 911 caller stated that the suspect had broken in and that the two female occupants of the residence were locked inside the bathroom. As officers were arriving on scene the suspect was attempting to break into the bathroom. The caller advised that the suspect was now threatening to shoot.

Upon arrival to the scene two officers and a supervisor made an approach to the house. As the officers entered the house the suspect fired a shot from the hallway/bedroom area. Initial reports indicate that as an officer entered the hallway to try to locate the bathroom, the suspect appeared at one of the bedroom doors and was holding a pistol. The suspect pointed a handgun at the officer in the hallway at which point the second officer fired at the suspect in defense of the first officer's life. The officer fired approximately four shots at the suspect and after the gunfire the suspect retreated into a bedroom of the house. Officers took up defensive positions inside the house and a ballistic blanket was used to evacuate the two women who were still locked in the bathroom. No officers were hit by the suspect's gunfire and the officers were unsure if the suspect had been hit. Continual attempts were made by the officers to try to establish verbal contact with the suspect after the shots were fired but they were unsuccessful.

The supervisor on scene advised dispatch to contact SWAT personnel and a staging area was set up. At approximately 4:16p.m. SWAT personnel relieved patrolmen who had surrounded the house and an entry team then entered the residence. The team was able to locate the suspect by using tactical mirrors to clear the bedroom that the suspect had retreated into. LifeNet was immediately notified and they responded to the house from the staging area several blocks away. LifeNet confirmed that the suspect was deceased. Initial reports indicate that the suspect had sustained gunshot wounds and at this time it is unclear if any were self inflicted.

The investigation of the shooting is ongoing at the time of this report. As department policy dictates, all involved officers have been placed on paid administrative assignment pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation into the circumstances of the shooting. The officer's names and details of the incident will be released after the investigation is complete.

Thank you and you can visit the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department online at http://www.txkusa.org/arkpolice.