A man shot by a Benton police officer on Friday night died Monday in Little Rock, according to a Benton Police Department news release.
The officer, whose name has not been released, shot Thomas Jeffery Burns, 49, after a confrontation about 11 p.m. on Friday, the release said.
A half-hour before the shooting, Benton police responded to the 1400 block of Longview Drive after reports that Burns had been screaming in the area. The officer found Burns and an unidentified woman arguing, but they separated peacefully, the release said.
The officer stayed in the area for extra patrol, and he encountered an armed Burns, police said.
Burns ignored commands to drop the weapon and raised it toward the officer, prompting the officer to shoot, the release stated.
Burns was airlifted to a Little Rock hospital.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Burns family during this difficult time," Benton Police Chief Kirk Lane said in a statement.
The release also noted that a handgun belonging to Burns was found at the scene.
The department placed the officer on leave, per department policy.
Metro on 10/11/2016
