HOT SPRINGS -- Downtown sidewalks crowded with visitors on a quiet Sunday afternoon transformed into chaos after a man exchanged gunfire with Hot Springs police, injuring one officer, before he was shot multiple times, according to witnesses at the scene and statements from police.
Witnesses said the man, later identified by police as Jonathan Allen Scott, 31, of Hot Springs, was seen walking along Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park, which was crowded with tourists, "pumping a gun."
Several callers reported seeing Scott walking in the 300 block of Central Avenue "causing a disturbance and threatening bystanders," police said in a release late Sunday. Other callers reported seeing the man with "some type of long gun."
Central Avenue, which would normally be thick with traffic during the busy tourism season, was blocked for hours because of the shooting, which occurred in the national park between the Lamar Bath House and the Administration Building, at the south end of the Row. Bathhouse Row Emporium is in Lamar Bath House, for further reference.
Officers responded to the 500 block of Central Avenue around 12:30 p.m. to a 911 call reporting a disorderly person downtown with a gun. Once at the scene, they approached Scott on Bathhouse Row and Hot Springs police Officer 1st Class Johnathan Smith was shot twice, police said. It was not clear Sunday if Smith fired at the man.
[Video not loading? Click here to watch » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8Rglo569A0]
Officers at scene exchanged gunfire with Scott, who was shot "multiple times," as other officers rushed the scene, one witness said and police confirmed in a news release.
Shell casings littered the street and a gun was seen on the sidewalk near the suspect.
Smith was in in stable condition Sunday evening and was later released from the hospital, police said.
"We appreciate everyone's continued thoughts and prayers," the release said.
Scott was transported to a local hospital where he was listed in critical condition, police said. The Hot Springs Police Department was later joined at the scene by the National Park Service, the Garland County Sheriff's Department, Arkansas State Police, the Hot Springs Fire Department and LifeNet.
The Arkansas State Police and Garland County Sheriff's Department have assumed the investigation. As per department policy, the officers involved will be placed on administrative leave with pay, the release said.
"I was at the stoplight ...in my car. And I just kept hearing the police officers and they were running in front of my car," said Nina Gordon of Hot Springs. "I thought somebody got ran over. But obviously, they didn't. All of a sudden, I looked and they were just shooting at each other. It happened so quick. I didn't see the man, but about five police officers had their weapons drawn and shot about six times."
A man who declined to provide his name said that his daughter reportedly texted him that she and about 15 other people hid in a closet inside a bath house when they first heard the shots.
"We were over yonder at Adair Park. And I look up, and this white man with fuzzy hair and eyeballs looking both ways, he was pumping a gun," said Crystal Eskine of Louisiana. "When that happened, I took the kids, and we went and hid behind a brick wall. A while later, we heard about half a dozen gunshots. When we saw the cops, we knew it was safe. So we started walking again and saw two cops standing next to a body."
Tasha Hoag of Hot Springs was at Sunday brunch at Diablos Tacos & Mezcal along with several other people when the shooting occurred. She said it was so chaotic that she was fearful the shooter was inside the restaurant with her.
"We were eating, and we heard something. I couldn't identify it, and then I saw people running," she said. "People had a baby, and they were running up the streets. And then we heard a lot of gunshots. It sounded like it was right here.
"People started running in, (from the patio) and we just started running. And there were still gunshots. My husband stayed out there, (in the dining area) and I was on the back corner with a whole bunch of people. That was horrible. I could not believe that was actually happening. We see it on TV but I couldn't believe it was happening here."
Hot Springs police Sgt. Joey Williams said traffic was diverted to West Mountain, Exchange Street, and through Gulpha Gorge. Pedestrian traffic was redirected up Court Street on to Exchange Street. Both the sidewalks in that area of the downtown historic district, on the west side of Central Avenue, and Hot Springs National Park on the east side of Central were closed.
Police were reportedly in the area for several hours after the shooting interviewing witnesses and examining the scene.
"We ... ask that if anyone has video or was a witness, to please contact the Garland County Sheriff's Department at 501-622-3660," police posted on Facebook.
"This is just the atmosphere we live in now. We've allowed people to have guns, so we have to assume everybody is armed," said Basil Hoag, of Hot Springs, who was also eating at Diablos.
Metro on 07/29/2019