Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Hunter said a Pine Bluff police lieutenant who shot and injured a boy while trying to execute an arrest warrant at a residence last month was justified in his use of deadly force.
Hunter, the prosecuting attorney for the 11th Judicial Circuit-West, which covers Jefferson and Lincoln counties, said in an Wednesday letter to Pine Bluff Police Chief Jeff Hubanks that under state law Lt. Lance Lawhon was "reasonable in believing that the use of deadly physical force was necessary to defend himself from the imminent use of deadly physical force by the male he shot."
On March 23, Lawhon and other police officers went to 5701 Wormack St. to serve a felony warrant from Cleveland County on Deontae Garrett, 19.
"As Lt. Lawhon parked in the driveway and exited his vehicle, a young black male ran toward the backdoor of the house and another young black male exited the house with a pistol in his hand running from Lt. Lawhon," Hunter said in the letter. "Lt. Lawhon commanded the person to drop the weapon and the weapon came out of his hand and slid across the concrete.
"The male then reached and grabbed the gun and engaged in a 'tuck and roll' move and pointed the pistol at Lt. Lawhon, and Lt. Lawhon fired his weapon five times, hitting the male once in the upper buttock and another shot in the man's hand."
The individual who was shot was 16. Garrett turned himself into police the next day.
State Desk on 04/26/2016