JONESBORO -- A suspect in a Saturday morning shooting at Riceland Foods in Jonesboro was shot and killed by police, according to a Jonesboro Police Department news release.
The suspect, Walter Antreall Joyce, 45, of Memphis, was pronounced dead on the scene after he fired at officers from multiple agencies following a vehicle chase.
According to the news release, officers responded to a shooting at Riceland Foods, a rice mill in the 200 block of Gee Street in west Jonesboro, at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. They found one person suffering from gunshot wounds, and they began providing medical aid, according to the news release. The condition of the shooting victim was not known Saturday afternoon.
Police later identified Joyce as the suspect and they attempted to stop a vehicle that matched the description of the car he was driving. Joyce drove away from police at low speeds, according to the news release.
Arkansas State Police executed a precision immobilization technique maneuver, or PIT maneuver, to stop the vehicle on Interstate 555 near U.S. 463, at the East Nettleton Avenue overpass about 7½ miles southeast of Riceland Foods.
According to the news release, just before 11 a.m. Joyce barricaded himself inside the vehicle, ignoring commands from police to exit the vehicle and surrender. Joyce began shooting at police, prompting officers from Jonesboro Police, Arkansas State Police and the Craighead County sheriff's office to return fire, killing Joyce. No officers were injured during the shooting.
Arkansas State Police have placed two state troopers on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated. Special agents from Arkansas State Police will investigate the shooting and a case file will be submitted to the Craighead County prosecuting attorney to review whether the shooting was justified or not according to a news release from state police.
Jonesboro Police declined to provide further information on the shooting.