Authorities have identified a woman who was found shot and seriously hurt in the kitchen of a North Little Rock home early Sunday.
Officers were called around 3:45 a.m. to an address the 1800 block of North Maple Street, according to a North Little Rock Police Department report.
Police say a female called for help but a male took her phone, telling authorities that everything was OK before hanging up.
At the residence's screen door, officers listened to several people talking inside for about 30 seconds before hearing a male yell at a female that he was going to “knock you out.”
Then, believing the female was in “imminent danger,” police entered the house and found three black males, including one with scratches on his face, the report states.
An officer grabbed the scratched man, later identified as 36-year-old Stephen Buford, by the arm and tried to place him in handcuffs, at which point he quickly pushed past the officer and fled down the stairs to the front door, according to police.
Authorities said the officer and Buford fell down the stairs before both made their way outside. Bufford was eventually arrested after a struggle.
Three witnesses were questioned before officers made contact with a woman lying on the kitchen floor suffering from a single gunshot wound to her right hip.
The victim, 36-year-old Shavonya Oliver, had reportedly been shot by Buford, two witnesses said.
Another witness said that Buford had been playing with a gun, believing it to be an air-soft gun, while “everyone was arguing about politics,” according to the report.
Oliver was transported to Baptist Health Medical Center - Springhill, where medical personnel advised that the victim had “extensive internal wounds.” Her condition Wednesday evening was not known.
Buford was also taken to UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock with superficial lacerations, police said. When he was released from the hospital, he was taken to the Pulaski County jail.
Buford — who faces charges of first-degree battery, second-degree battery, fleeing, possession of firearm by certain persons and refusal to submit to arrest — remained jailed as of Wednesday evening.
Records show Buford had active warrants out of North Little Rock and was convicted of felony burglary in 2014.
