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Updated: Details of officer-involved shooting released

Posted: March 4, 2013 - 3:47pm

The grounds outside of Plaza Pointe Apartments on Market Plaza Drive were quiet Monday morning and managers were not on the premises following Sunday’s shooting incident outside of building 1 at the complex, where an alleged knife-wielding assailant was tased and then shot by police after refusing to comply with demands to drop the knife before charging an officer.

Police were dispatched to the complex around 1:50 p.m. after receiving a 9-1-1 call from Nathan Dodson, 28, who reported he had barricaded himself inside of a closet in the apartment he shared with John M. Raines IV, 21, after Raines suddenly attacked him, cutting him with a knife.

When police arrived at the complex, they found Raines, with a knife in his hand, exiting the ground-floor apartment.

Officials said Raines was commanded multiple times to put his knife down and was tased when he refused.

Raines then reportedly charged police officer Rachel Hanson with the knife.

Police said three other officers fired multiple rounds on Raines, who was transported via air ambulance to a Little Rock hospital.

Raines’ condition and location is currently unknown.

Patient information read by MEMS over police radio Sunday indicated that Raines was shot four times in the upper back and in the arms.

First responders described a “sucking chest wound.”

Dodson received minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the scene.

Bullet holes can be seen in the windows and walls of two ground-level apartments at the building stairwell where police encountered Raines. Two bullets entered the front-facing window of a neighboring apartment, only feet away from where the tenant was sitting in a chair.

On Monday, no one answered the door at Dodson and Raines’ residence.

Two tenants in a neighboring upstairs apartment said they were not home when the incident occurred, but were concerned for their 4-year-old son, who was inside of the home with a babysitter and reportedly heard the gunshots.

Another neighbor said she arrived at the scene after returning home from church.

Tenants were not allowed back in to building 1 until the scene had been processed by investigators.

Neighbors described Raines as “quiet” and said they had never encountered him, or any of the apartment’s other tenants.

One neighbor reported a possible third party, a female, inside of the home at the time of the stabbing incident.

On Monday, Woodruff said the the department is confident its officers followed procedure in Sunday’s incident.

Though officer Hanson was never under Raines’ control, Woodruff said her life was in “imminent danger.”

Woodruff said Hanson was standing in close proximity to Raines when he lunged at her following her deployment of the taser.

“He could have made contact. Our officers are supposed to do what they can to alleviate the threat,” Woodruff said.

Following an investigation into the incident, the department’s administrative inquiry will be turned over to prosecutors, who will review the actions of everyone at the scene and then decide who, if anyone, is to be charged in the incident.

Details on the number of shots fired by officers and the type of knife allegedly used in the attack were unavailable Monday afternoon. CPD officials also could not confirm whether any conversation took place between Raines and officers prior to the shooting.

According to court documents, a state’s mental evaluation stemming from 2010 charges of second-degree battery, possession of a controlled counterfeit substance, public intoxication and disorderly conduct in Pulaski County indicates Raines has a prior diagnosis of schizophrenia and a history of hallucinogen abuse, Cannabis dependence and alcohol abuse.

In Feb. 2010, Raines was admitted to a hospital for “drug-induced psychosis” and was prescribed multiple anti-psychotics.

The report also indicates Raines received a week of treatment in a hospital in 2009 for “psychotic delusions.”

Conway Police Chief A.J. Gary released a statement Monday afternoon expressing his confidence in the actions of the officers involved.

“Our investigation shows that statements from witnesses and from our officers involved in the incident at Plaza Pointe Apartments corroborate each other,” Gary said. “At this time, we are certain that our officers acted according to procedure in the matter.”

Gary said the department’s thoughts and prayers go out to Raines and his family, as well as to the officers who were involved in the incident.

(Megan Reynolds is a staff writer and can be reached by phone at 501-505-1277. To comment on this story and others, visit www.thecabin.net.)

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arkansasobserver
3065
Points
arkansasobserver 03/04/13 - 04:08 pm
5
7

Community Review Board

The department is already confident that officers followed procedure. Sounds like they made up their minds. Perhaps Ms. Woodruff is right, but the facts of this incident shout out for an independent review board.

ucantbserious
25486
Points
ucantbserious 03/04/13 - 04:13 pm
7
2

Hmm

Sounds like it speaks for itself. Crime deterrent in action. Stab your roommate & attack a cop = get turned into swiss cheese. Put that on the sign.

"Welcome to Conway: You stab somebody and we'll shoot you."

i_wonder
27122
Points
i_wonder 03/04/13 - 04:15 pm
4
2

you forgot

Unpublished

Tase you, then shoot you.

We recommend that you let the Taser do its job.

notthisboy
1728
Points
notthisboy 03/04/13 - 04:27 pm
7
1

observer

Are you suggesting that they convene a group of citizens to decide if the officers performed properly? What would they know about the subject. There will be an internal investigation and probably one by an outside agency then a review by the prosecuting attorney.

Based on over 20 years of law enforcement and several thousand hours of training these officers responded as trained. Unfortunately in most police shootings there will be stray rounds. Believe it or not a lunging or running suspect is hard to hit. Be grateful no one was injured other than the suspect. Have you ever posted a positive comment?

onlymyopinion
102
Points
onlymyopinion 03/04/13 - 04:32 pm
2
4

Investigation

Odd, why would you not want an outside agency such as the State or Feds to perform your investigation. If the officers were justified and not excessive, then let an outside agency conduct the investigation and positivily clear your officers. I think it is poor practive for an agency to investigate its own shootings.....I mean they had ASP do thier investigation when thier officer was killed why not for this. The story sounds good to me, just a lot of questions like the intial report that he was shot 6 times in the back on the news and now that is not there anymore? I agree, this should be investigated outside the agency unless you have something to hide. I will leave with apositive comment, no innocent people were hurt and the officers are physically ok it sounds like...good job.

Courtney Spradlin
2653
Points
Courtney Spradlin 03/04/13 - 04:43 pm
5
0

The story will be updated

The story will be updated with a lot more information, but to appease you now, CPD will hand over the file to the prosecuting attorney. He will review and determine if everyone's actions were appropriate, and what charges might come for the suspect.

arkansasobserver
3065
Points
arkansasobserver 03/04/13 - 04:58 pm
5
3

Notthisboy

The officers acted to protect one of their own, and nobody can blame them for that. I know it's easy for someone sitting at a computer at home to opine about what happened in a split second during the time these officers were put in that stressful situation. But this incident reportedly lasted several minutes, a taser was deployed, and many shots were fired in four directions in an area with civilians nearby. What if a police bullet had killed the woman in the story, or a child inside an apartment? I don't believe it is unreasonable, or negative, to question the policy regarding such incidents.

ucantbserious
25486
Points
ucantbserious 03/04/13 - 05:21 pm
7
2

Hmm

"many shots were fired in four directions"

As opposed to the officers standing in a single-file line while trying to shoot the attacker? I'm no tactician but that just seems incredibly inefficient.

"What if a police bullet had killed the woman in the story, or a child inside an apartment?"

You're right. They should have asked the man to ride with them to an uninhabited location so they could safely shoot him.

i_wonder
27122
Points
i_wonder 03/04/13 - 05:24 pm
9
1

yeah

Unpublished

"Sir, if you're not going to put the knife down, would you at least move a little to the left? Thank you!"

Zheking
2080
Points
Zheking 03/04/13 - 05:32 pm
5
2

the perp was runnign towards

the perp was runnign towards an officer and shot in the back.... Would lead me to believe they were firing in the direction of not only the perp but also another officer...

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