UPDATE 12/06/2016 140PM:
BNPD Says Deceased Robbery Suspect Might Be 2012 “Camo Cowboy”
About 2:50 p.m., I started getting messages from MySaline readers that something was happening at the Simmons Bank location on Military Road. I contacted Matt Burks, the spokesperson for Benton Police Department. He said a disturbance call came from the business and they are still investigating. I’ll update as soon as I know anything else.
UPDATE 12/02/2016 3PM:
BNPD just posted on their Facebook, “Officers are investigating of what is believed to be an attempted armed robbery of Simmons Bank on Military Road. During the investigation, shots were fired. A suspect was hit and was apprehended. This is an active crime scene investigation. There is no further information at this time.”
UPDATE 12/02/2016 5PM:
According to the Benton Police Department, it was a robbery attempt, the suspect was shot by an officer and has now died.
UPDATE 12/02/2016 645PM:
BNPD OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
At approximately 2:42 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, officers with the Benton Police Department responded to Simmons Bank, located at 1323 Military Road, on a report of a possible robbery by a white male suspect. Upon arrival officers determined that an off-duty Benton police officer intervened in the attempted armed robbery of the bank.
During the course of the altercation with the off-duty officer, the suspect, who was brandishing a handgun, was shot and later transported to a local hospital. The suspect later succumbed to injuries. The identification of the suspect is not being released at this time pending notification of the next of kin.
The officer and other individuals inside the bank were unharmed during the incident. The identification of the officer involved in the incident is not being released at this time due to the pending investigation. The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave per departmental policy.
The Benton Police Department is the lead agency for the on-going investigation, with assistance from the FBI. Additional details will be made available as the investigation progresses.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Benton Police Department at 501-778-1171 or 501-315-TIPS. Individuals also may send us an anonymous crime tip about this incident to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword BNPD in the body of the text or go to www.crimereports.com to leave a tip. A crime tip can also be submitted via the official Benton Police Department app found on ITunes and Google Play.
UPDATE 12/02/2016 915PM:
The suspect from the Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, bank robbery which led to him being shot is 58-year-old Joseph Edward Turner Jr., of Grant County. Mr. Turner was later pronounced deceased at a local hospital following the attempted armed robbery of the Simmons Bank at 1323 Military Road.
The identification of the officer involved in the incident is not being released at this time due to the pending investigation. The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave per departmental policy.
The Benton Police Department is the lead agency for the on-going investigation, with assistance from the FBI. Additional details will be made available as the investigation progresses.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Benton Police Department at 501-778-1171 or 501-315-TIPS. Individuals also may send us an anonymous crime tip about this incident to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword BNPD in the body of the text or go to www.crimereports.com to leave a tip. A crime tip can also be submitted via the official Benton Police Department app found on ITunes and Google Play.
