LITTLE ROCK — A Little Rock Police Department officer shot two people inside a car early Wednesday morning as the vehicle moved to run him over after a chase, authorities said.
The injured suspects - identified as 55-year-old Millis Farnam and his son, 29-year-old Jason Farnam - were listed in "very critical" condition with gunshot wounds to their heads, police spokesman Lt. Terry Hastings said.
"Standard practice is to shoot to eliminate the threat," Hastings said during a news conference at police headquarters, adding a criminal investigation into the incident and an internal investigation into the officer-involved shooting are underway.
The incident started about 3:30 a.m. when officer Arthur McDaniel spotted a gray Mercury Marquis leaving at a high rate of speed from The Centre at Chenal, 17200 Chenal Parkway.
The Mercury would not pull over and McDaniel pursued it for several minutes until it got to the dead-end on La Marche Drive.
There, McDaniel stopped his patrol vehicle, got out and attempted to take the driver and three passengers into custody. But the vehicle then began backing up in an apparent attempt to run him down, Hastings said.
The Mercury rammed the police vehicle and McDaniel opened fire, striking the Farnams. Hastings said he didn't know how many shots McDaniel fired.
It remains unclear why the vehicle fled police. Hastings said a number of duffel bags were in the trunk and that the group may have been burglars, though there was no indication any business in the area had been struck.
"We may have interrupted them before they had a chance to commit any crimes," Hastings said. Authorities were still waiting for a warrant to search the car late this morning.
The other two passengers, identified as 29-year-old Crystal Stanford and 27-year-old Christopher Marts, were not hit by any of the shots. Stanford, however, did suffer a minor leg injury when the vehicle accelerated into a wooded area and came to a rest against a tree.
Marts ran from the scene and was arrested by a retired police officer who was working security at a nearby gated community, Hastings said.
Stanford and Marts were both questioned by detectives, though Hastings said he could not reveal what information, if any, they provided. It's not clear if they will face charges in the incident.
No officers were injured.
Millis Farnam is wanted on an escape warrant out of Perry County and both he and his son have lengthy criminal records locally, Hastings said. McDaniel has been on the police force since 2006 and will be placed on administrative leave, per department protocol.