FORT SMITH -- A Fort Smith police detective shot and injured another detective early Tuesday morning.
Detectives were searching an apartment related to an active homicide investigation when one of them discharged his weapon and struck another in the hand and chest, according to a news release from Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker. Baker did not name either officer.
The detective who was shot was wearing a bulletproof vest, Baker said. He or she only suffered minor injuries, and was treated and released from a local hospital. However, the detective who fired his weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard in any officer-involved shooting, pending an investigation by the Arkansas State Police and the Fort Smith Police Department Office of Professional Standards.
"We are thankful that no one was seriously injured and pray for all of our officers who continue to do a dangerous job during an extremely stressful and difficult time," Baker wrote.
Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler said via email Tuesday that no additional information from the agency regarding the incident or the investigation was expected to be released that day.
In a release sent out after 3:15 a.m. Tuesday, Fort Smith Police Department spokesman Aric Mitchell wrote that an incident at Pike Place Apartments at 700 N. Albert Pike Ave. that was initially being investigated as a "shots fired" call is now being investigated as a homicide.
The victim was identified as Wright Sando, 23.
Further details on this case, Mitchell said, will be released at the conclusion of the investigation, which is ongoing.
State Desk on 06/03/2020