2:15 p.m. update:
The Hot Springs Police Department a short time ago said it had amended the capital murder charge to first-degree murder for both fugitive suspect Stephon Harris and Anthony Camden, who remains in custody at the Garland County Detention Center.
Harris and Camden are suspects in a multiple shooting on Lacey Street last Thursday. Each also still face four first-degree battery charges in relation to the shootings.
Hot Springs police said Sunday that Tyler Donaldson, 23, one of the five victims of Thursday's multiple shooting at 311 Lacey St., had died overnight.
Detectives originally obtained an arrest warrant for capital murder for Harris late Saturday night, after Donaldson died.
A release from the department on Monday said that, upon additional conversations with the Garland County prosecutor's office Monday morning, the police department amended the capital murder charge to first-degree murder for both Harris and Camden.
The release also updated the conditions of the other shooting victims, without identifying the individual victims. Police said one victim is still in critical condition, one is in stable condition, and two have been discharged.
"Over the weekend, investigators of the Hot Springs Police Department followed up on possible sightings of Stephon Harris. Investigators checked three different locations, one in the city of Hot Springs, one in Garland County, and one in Hot Spring County. Investigators did not locate Harris at any of the locations," the release said.
"The Hot Springs Police Department continues to follow up on every tip and ask the community to continue to assist in the apprehension of Mr. Harris. Harris should be considered armed and dangerous. Please do not approach Harris if you see him, please call 911."
Original article:
Hot Springs police on Sunday said one of the five people shot Thursday night on Lacey Street died overnight, prompting it to upgrade one of the battery charges pending against fugitive suspect Stephon Harris to capital murder.
The shooting victim who died, Tyler Donaldson, 23, had been flown to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock by a LifeNet helicopter from Hot Springs Memorial Field the night of the shootings.
Hot Springs police Officer 1st Class Joey Williams said Sunday that Donaldson died "overnight." A news release announcing Donaldson's death and the new charges was made at 4:49 p.m. Sunday. There had been numerous unconfirmed postings on social media during the day Saturday saying that Donaldson had died.
As a result of Donaldson's death, Williams said one of the five first-degree battery charges pending against Harris, 20, who is at large and being sought in connection to the shootings, has been upgraded to capital murder, alongside the four remaining charges of first-degree battery.
Capital murder is a felony punishable by life in prison without parole or the death penalty, unless prosecutors choose to waive it.
The other four shooting victims, identified by police as Cameron Guyton, 20, George Watson, 53, Skie Guyton, 19, and an unidentified 17-year-old male, were transported to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs for various gunshot wounds Thursday evening. Police have not provided updates on their conditions since the shootings.
Harris is considered "armed and dangerous," police said Friday. A black male, Harris is 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighs 180 pounds. The Hot Springs Police Department asks anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to call the main number at 501-321-6789.
"Officers are continuing to follow up on leads to locate Harris. The department will release more information in the morning (Monday)," the release said.
It was unclear on Sunday whether one of five first-degree battery charges also pending against Anthony James Camden, 23, who lists a Greenwood Avenue address, would also be upgraded following Donaldson's death.
Camden, who was taken into custody at around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, a few hours after the shootings, remained in custody on $250,000 bond at the Garland County Detention Center on the five battery charges Sunday evening.
Hot Springs police officers responded to 311 Lacey St. at around 6:50 p.m. Thursday in reference to the shootings. According to the affidavit for Camden's arrest, a resident at 311 Lacey said Camden, Harris and Donaldson arrived at her residence looking for a male juvenile Thursday evening.
The resident claimed the juvenile had gotten into an argument over the phone with Camden regarding the juvenile's younger brother owing Camden money. Camden arrived at the residence wanting to fight the juvenile and stood in the driveway with a silver handgun, yelling. At one point, Donaldson started to fight the juvenile and Camden. Camden raised his handgun and attempted to discharge it, but the gun allegedly jammed. As he tried to fix the malfunction, Harris produced a handgun and allegedly started shooting, the affidavit said.
Harris allegedly showed up at the front door of the house at 311 Lacey St. Saturday morning, prompting the woman who lives at the residence to call authorities. Her call brought police officers and National Park Service rangers to the neighborhood. Officers carrying semi-automatic weapons blocked off the streets while a K-9 unit searched within the area, without success.
There have been no other reported sightings of Harris since Saturday morning.
Local on 09/12/2016