A Little Rock police officer accused of pointing a BB gun at a man while on duty has been charged with third-degree assault, court records show.
The officer, Evan Howell, 26, was "relieved of duty" in June, authorities previously said, shortly after he was accused of pointing the weapon at a man who was reportedly harassing employees in a T-Mobile store June 16.
The man told officers that he did not understand the threat posed by carrying a BB gun, according to a police report. Officers said Howell grabbed the weapon, pointed it toward the man and said, "Hey, can you tell the difference right now?"
Other officers who had responded to the 911 call about the man with the BB gun escorted Howell from the building, the report states.
The man harassing the employees told officers that he "was not certain if Mr. Howell had his BB gun or not" and that he "just saw Mr. Howell charging at him with a gun pointed at him."
Howell was suspended with pay pending an internal investigation almost immediately after the incident, authorities said in July.
Department spokesman Steve Moore said Tuesday that the internal investigation has not concluded and Howell is still suspended.
Howell's first court appearance on the misdemeanor charge is set for Friday, documents show.
Metro on 09/19/2018