A teacher with the Little Rock School District who Benton police say has been operating a marijuana growing operation from his home was arrested Friday in connection with an early-morning shooting that left another man critically injured.

While investigating the shooting of Timothy Gauldin, 29, of Benton, evidence indicated that he shot himself with the help of Jason Gaunt, 35, a teacher in Little Rock, according to a Benton Police Department news release.

When searching Gaunt’s home at 2303 Cherry Crossing in Benton, detectives found the firearm involved in the shooting and “a marijuana home grow operation and related paraphernalia,” according to a release written by spokesman Lt. Kevin Russell.

Police arrested Gaunt and charged him with furnishing a firearm to a convicted felon, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He remained in Saline County jail Saturday without bail set.

A contract for the 2011-12 school year between Gaunt and the Little Rock School District that is accessible online states that he worked at the Forest Heights Middle School.

It does not list his position, but shows he was paid $1,317.50 over 24 installments for his work that year, implying that he may have been part-time.

Gauldin is expected to face felony charges, but hasn’t been formally charged yet because of the serious nature of his injuries, Russell said. Gauldin is an active parolee out of the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, according to the news release.

Officers found him lying in the front yard of 2511 Millbrook Drive in Benton about 12:30 a.m. Friday with a gunshot wound in his chest and originally thought he had been shot while out for a walk. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital, which police are not identifying.

Pamela Smith, spokesman for the Little Rock School District, did not confirm Gaunt’s position with the district Saturday.

“It may take time [to confirm] because this is a personnel matter, and we will have to review it,” Smith said in a phone interview.

Russell said the detective confirmed Gaunt’s position with the school.

Police are still investigating the motive of the shooting, but Russell said it may be “an intricate plot” and there may be additional charges in the case.

Arkansas, Pages 21 on 04/28/2013