Arkansas State Police are investigating the shooting of a man by a state trooper Monday morning on Interstate 49 north of Mountainburg, according to a news release.
The trooper was patrolling on I-49 at about 6:20 a.m. Monday when he saw a man walking south on the shoulder of the highway. When the trooper approached, the man refused to obey orders and became combative, according to the news release.
The man fled through traffic lanes and when to a wooded embankment above the road, the news release stated. According to initial reports, the man raised a large rock "in a threatening manner, leading the the trooper to fire his service weapon, wounding the man."
The man, whose identity is uncertain, was taken to a Fort Smith hospital and was reported to be in "stable condition," according to the news release.
Bill Sadler, a spokesman for the Arkansas State Police, said the trooper's identity was being withheld until he has had time to meet with family and any clergy or a mentor. The trooper was placed on leave, as is standard in officer-involved shootings.