Little Rock officer who was fired after deadly shooting in 2019, then reinstated, resigns

In this file photo Charles Starks listens to testimony during the Civil Service Commission hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, at Little Rock City Hall.
In this file photo Charles Starks listens to testimony during the Civil Service Commission hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, at Little Rock City Hall.

Embattled Little Rock police officer Charles Starks submitted a letter of resignation to Chief Keith Humphrey on Friday, the department confirmed.

Starks, who shot and killed car theft suspect Bradley Blackshire during a February 2019 confrontation, was fired by Humphrey for violating department policy, but was later reinstated by a Pulaski County judge.

Starks was investigated for the Blackshire shooting, but prosecutors cleared him of criminal wrongdoing. Humphrey still fired Starks for breaking police procedure over how suspects in moving cars should be approached.

[DOCUMENT: Charles Starks' resignation letter » arkansasonline.com/911starks/]

After the firing was overturned, the department was court-ordered to reinstate Starks. The man sued the mayor and the chief over the way his reinstatement was handled. He was initially relegated to desk duty over his objections, his attorney said at the time.

Little Rock police officer Eric Barnes, a department spokesman, confirmed that Starks had resigned, but had no further comment. A separate spokesman, Lt. Casey Clark, said that Humphrey had no comment.

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