Arkansas officer kills holdup suspect

Benton police say bank robber had gun, demanded cash

An off-duty Benton police officer fatally shot an armed man during a bank holdup Friday afternoon, the Benton Police Department reported.

Officers responded at 2:42 p.m. to a call at the First Simmons Bank branch at 1323 Military Road, a commercial corridor north of Alcoa Road that runs parallel to Interstate 30. When police arrived, they found that an off-duty officer had intervened in a robbery at the bank, police spokesman Matt Burks said.

The officer reportedly shot a man who had demanded money at gunpoint. The man was taken to a hospital, where he died, police said.

Benton police late Friday identified the man as Joseph Edward Turner Jr., 58, of Grant County.

No other injuries were reported.

Benton police did not immediately identify the officer involved in the shooting. Burks said the officer was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation, in accordance with department policy.

Burks said in a statement that the Benton Police Department is the lead agency for the investigation with assistance from the FBI.

Further details were not released.

Friday's fatal shooting is the third involving a Benton police officer in the past two months.

On Oct. 7, officer Cory Mize shot Thomas Jeffery Burns after responding to a domestic-disturbance call involving Burns and Burns' ex-girlfriend. Burns, 49, reportedly pointed a pellet gun at Mize and refused to drop the weapon. Mize then shot him in the torso, according to reports.

Burns died from his injuries three days later.

Saline County prosecutor Ken Casady announced Thursday that Mize will not faces charges in that killing. Casady said Mize killed Burns in self-defense.

Also, in a shooting Oct. 17, officer Kyle Ellison killed Keagan Schweikle, 17, after responding to a report that the youth was armed and suicidal. Police said Schweikle pointed a .40-caliber pistol at officers, and Ellison shot him.

Prosecutors are reviewing that case. No charges have been filed.

Ellison has since returned to duty, according to police.

Metro on 12/03/2016

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