2 officers, man ID'd following deadly gunfire exchange in west Little Rock

Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey (left) talks to officers after Sunday’s shooting on South Shackleford Road in Little Rock.
Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey (left) talks to officers after Sunday’s shooting on South Shackleford Road in Little Rock.

Little Rock police identified two officers and a 42-year-old man they fatally shot Sunday during an exchange of gunfire near a shopping center on the city’s west side.

Officials said Monday that two Little Rock officers and Michael St. Clair of Pine Bluff began shooting at one another Sunday afternoon after police responded to reports of a suspicious person near Shackleford Crossings shopping center, just east of Interstate 430.

The department identified the officers as Ryan Stubenrauch and Chandler Taylor.

In a Monday news release, authorities said St. Clair had fired a gun before police arrived. St. Clair ran from officers, firing back at them, authorities said. Stubenrauch and Taylor returned fire, hitting St. Clair, according to a police report.

Police said St. Clair died from his injuries shortly after being taken to Baptist Hospital.

Officials confirmed both officers fired their guns.

No officers or other people in the area were injured, police said.

The department said both officers were on administrative leave Monday, pending the conclusion of an internal investigation.

The latest police shooting comes two days after prosecutors announced that Little Rock Officer Charles Starks will not face charges in the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Bradley Blackshire during a Feb. 22 traffic stop.

The city released dash camera footage of the deadly encounter nearly two weeks after it happened, following calls for the video’s swift release among community advocates and Blackshire’s family.

An internal investigation was still in progress, pending a final decision into whether Starks violated any departmental rules. Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey plans to make a decision within the coming days.

No timetable has been set for the investigations into the latest shooting.

Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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