A Pine Bluff man was arrested and booked into the Jefferson County jail on suspicion of aggravated assault upon a "certified law enforcement officer" and possession of a firearm by certain persons Thursday morning.
Pine Bluff Police Sgt. Richard Wegner indicated in a news release Samuel Wilson Jr., 47, allegedly pointed a gun at a Pine Bluff officer before she got out of her patrol car.
Officers responded to the 600 block of West 20th Avenue just before 11 a.m. Thursday in reference to a disturbance, Wegner said. The caller reportedly told the patrol officer "a man had been in his yard acting strangely" and gave an idea of where and how the suspect traveled.
Wilson was found "a short distance away" in clothing that matched the caller's description. The officer could see him holding a pistol, and when she started to make contact with the man, he pointed the weapon toward her before she could get out of the car, Wegner said. The officer was not hurt.
"Mr. Wilson then fled the area on foot," Wegner wrote. "After he was out of sight, a single gunshot was heard. Officers of the Pine Bluff Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff's Office responded to the area and conducted a search. Mr. Wilson was quickly located and taken into custody. At this time, no gun has been recovered."
It was not clear how many squad cars from the PBPD and sheriff's office responded to the scene.
Police have not established a motive for the alleged assault, adding Wilson was not able to be interviewed due to being under the influence. Wegner said Wilson is expected to make an initial appearance in court "within the next day or two."