An officer-involved shooting unfolded Monday afternoon in the 7900 block of Baseline Road, claiming the life of 23-year-old Willie Joe Larry-Purdiman of Jacksonville.
The Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division is now investigating the incident, which erupted during a U.S. Marshals Service operation near a busy Walmart.
Authorities say the confrontation began around 3 p.m. when task force officers from the USMS Eastern Arkansas unit attempted to apprehend Larry-Purdiman, a wanted fugitive with multiple outstanding warrants tied to violent felony charges in Pulaski County.
After recently skipping a sentencing hearing, Larry-Purdiman was tracked to the Baseline Road Walmart. As officers moved to arrest him during a traffic stop near the store’s south entrance, chaos ensued.
According to reports, Larry-Purdiman leapt from the passenger side of a vehicle and bolted across the intersection toward a gas station parking lot. Armed with a fully automatic handgun, he opened fire on pursuing officers, who returned shots in response.
The pursuit took a dangerous turn when an officer’s vehicle collided with a fuel pump, igniting a blaze that engulfed the station in flames.
Larry-Purdiman’s flight ended behind a nearby business, where he collapsed from his injuries. Despite paramedics’ efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Miraculously, no civilians were harmed in the fiery exchange. While no officers were struck by gunfire, one sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the chase and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
ASP Special CID agents are now compiling an investigative file for the Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney, who will decide if the officers’ use of deadly force aligns with Arkansas law.
This is a developing story--stay tuned for updates as the investigation unfolds.
