FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KFTA) — Officer Stephen Carr with the Fayetteville police department was shot and killed Saturday night. Carr was sitting in his patrol car in the police department’s parking lot. He was in uniform when he took his last breath.
Fayetteville Police Chief Mike Reynolds said “Last night was certainly the worst day in the history of the Fayetteville police department, we lost one of our own.”
Shots rang out just before 10 o’clock Saturday night
Sergeant Tony Murphy said “when I first got the call, it was a feeling of disbelief. You hear of these kinds of calls and you hope it doesn’t happen in your jurisdiction.”
It happened right behind the Fayetteville police department on rock street.Just feet away from the busy downtown square.
“People are walking, enjoying and having a good time. Christmas music is playing, then suddenly we start hearing what appears to be gunshots,” said Little Red Barn, business owner Rebecca Urbina Soto.
Dayton Sieber also works on the square. “We heard at least like 15 shots down there at the bottom in that alleyway back there behind the square. Then they announced on the intercom where the music was playing, and they said everybody take cover!”
Officers spotted 35 years old London T. Phillips running from the scene and chased him into an alley. Reynolds said two officers fired at Phillips.”Directly following the shooting, officers located officer Stephen Carr / shot inside his patrol vehicle while it was parked behind the police department.”
Carr was shot one time in the head at point-blank range. Central EMS arrived at the scene and began rendering aid to both men but they died from their injuries. Reynolds called the attack an ambush. ”The officer was waiting on his partner so they could go to Dickson street, and work their beats..and as he was waiting for his partner, this gentleman walked up and executed him.”
The Washington County Sheriff’s office is taking over the investigation with help from the FBI working to find out what led up to the deadly shooting.
Fayetteville police released the names of the two officers who shot the suspect. They are officer Natalie Eucce and corporal Seay Floyd. Euccee is a former employee of KNWA and FOX 24. Both of them are on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete. A standard procedure with the department when there is an officer-involved shooting.
