Deputy on leave after fatal shooting

A Lonoke County sheriff's deputy shot and killed an Austin man at his home early Sunday morning while responding to a domestic disturbance complaint, police said.

Lonoke deputies were speaking with a female victim when Phillip Luchsinger, 36, of 191 Angel Drive in Austin, confronted deputies while armed, according to a news release from the Lonoke County sheriff's office.

"A deputy who was on scene was forced to fire his handgun at the subject," the release stated.

The release didn't specify what weapon Luchsinger had, and a spokesman for the Lonoke County sheriff's office did not return a phone call Sunday.

Luchsinger was transported to North Metro Medical Center in Jacksonville, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley placed the deputy on paid administrative leave and asked Arkansas State Police to investigate the shooting, which are standard procedures, the release said.

The deputy involved was not identified Sunday.

State police spokesman Bill Sadler said Luchsinger's body was sent to the state Crime Laboratory.

"An investigative file will be prepared by CID special agents and submitted to the Lonoke County prosecuting attorney for consideration of laws applicable to use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer," Sadler said in an email.

Metro on 02/08/2016

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