JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – A nearby witness tells his experience during Friday’s shooting incident.
Nearly 24 hours after a shooting incident at Academy Sports + Outdoors, Jonesboro police released limited details about what happened.
According to a call log released by the Jonesboro Police Department, someone called police to report that a gun had been fired shortly after noon.
The incident report confirmed that the firearm, a Glock 43 9mm pistol, was the deputy’s and not the store’s.
The report also revealed the deputy’s name, Ruben Ivey.
Quinton Robbins tells K8 News he witnessed the incident. On his day off, Robbins said he was browsing the ammunition aisle when the shot went off roughly 10 feet away from him. Surrounding customers including Robbins, urged Ivey to put the gun down so that another shot did not set off.
“That was my goal, and he didn’t like that,” Robbins said. “So I reasserted that he needed to put down the gun and that’s when he told me he was an officer and to chill out.”
The caller said that Ivey, who fired the shot, also told them he was a law enforcement officer.
Robbins said after a few moments, Ivey complied.
“A second or two later he sat the gun and some type of badge on the counter,” Robbins said.
At one point there was some confusion about which agency Ivey worked for but Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen took to Facebook to confirm it was not one of his deputies.
“He isn’t affiliated at all with the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department,” Sheriff Allen said. “He is a reserve officer with St. Francis County and has worked for West Memphis Police and Forrest City Police. I understood he had on a Crittenden County Swat T-Shirt from training he attended years ago.”
According to JPD Public Information Specialist Sally Smith, no arrest has been made at this time.
K8 News spent all day Friday trying to get a comment from Academy Sports + Outdoors. The local chain referred us to their corporate office, but we have yet to hear back after numerous emails and voicemails.
This is a developing story. K8 News will confirm more details as more information becomes available.
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