UPDATED (12.4.09) Fayetteville police officer kills man suspected of Arvest bank robbery | Press Release

(Updated noon on Dec. 4, 2009) Fayetteville Police Chief Greg Tabor provided some additional details about the shooting Thursday through a press release.

“There were four officers on the scene at the time of the shooting, Sergeant Shannon Gabbard, Sergeant Chris Moad, Detective David Williams, and Officer Thomas Reed.  There were a total of three shots fired, all by Corporal David Williams.”

“The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an independent criminal investigation while the Fayetteville Police Department is conducting an investigation of the attempted robbery and an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident.  Per departmental policy, Detective David Williams has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of the internal investigation.”

“The suspect’s body has been transferred to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory Medical Examiner’s Office for a formal autopsy.  This investigation is continuing and we will provide additional information, as it is available for release.”

** Ozarks Unbound did not edit this press release except to include a locator map **

NEWS RELEASE

RE: OFFICER’S ARRIVE WHILE ROBBERY IN PROGRESS

Fayetteville Police Chief Greg Tabor announced today Fayetteville officers were involved in the fatal shooting of a robbery suspect.

On Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at approximately 3:29 PM Fayetteville officers responded to a report of a robbery at Arvest Bank located at 1113 N. Garland in Fayetteville. The subject, while in a white passenger car in the bank’s drive through, presented a note to the employee demanding money. Upon the officers’ arrival they located the suspect near the drive through window and announced their presence. The suspect began backing away from an officer blocking the front side of his vehicle. In doing so, the suspect nearly struck two other officers who had responded to the scene. Despite officers’ warnings to stop and show his hands, the suspect then began ramming an occupied vehicle behind his car several times in an apparent attempt to escape. Due to the suspect’s reckless actions with seemingly no regard for the safety of those around him, an officer fired his service weapon at the suspect to stop the threat. The suspect was wounded as a result of the shooting and his injuries proved fatal. No officers were injured during the altercation.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the criminal investigation into the shooting incident at the request of Chief Tabor. The suspect has been identified as Matthew L. Anderson, white male, age 29 of Elkins.

Per departmental policy, Chief Tabor has placed one officer on paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation. The Fayetteville Police Department will continue to provide information regarding this incident as it continues to develop.

SIMILAR POSTS

• Internal investigation finds Fayetteville police officer’s shooting was justified | News Brief at 5:43 PM on December 7, 2009
• Bullet shot by Fayetteville police struck stabbing victim, contributed to death at 6:22 PM on June 29, 2009
• Fayetteville police arrest Charles T. Nation on attempted murder charge | Press Release at 4:03 PM on November 18, 2009
• Fayetteville Police: Officers had no option but to fire at 11:16 AM on July 1, 2009
• Update: Aristero Chavez of Rogers faces capital murder charges after shooting victim dies Thursday | Press Release at 2:47 PM on November 25, 2009