Hot Springs Police Chief Jason Stachey said Monday that investigators are trying to determine what preceded an exchange of gunfire between three men Saturday night near the busy intersection of Grand and Central avenues that left four men injured, including a bystander.
One of the four injured men was initially reported as a shooting victim, but it was later determined he was struck by flying glass, police said. The other three victims, including one of the gunmen, were injured by gunfire, but their wounds were described as non life-threatening, even though police said a total of 36 shots were fired from three different weapons.
No arrests had been made as of Monday. Stachey said "our detectives are attempting to identify all the individuals involved and what their roles were during this incident.
"Specifically, we're trying to determine if they had known one another -- did they have some kind of relationship? Was there an incident that might have started this prior to the shooting incident? We're trying to answer those questions," Stachey said.
The police department said in a news release that officers who responded to a shooting call at the Exxon station at 1200 Central Ave. at around 11:15 p.m. Saturday found Timothy Martin, 37, of Hot Springs, in the lobby of the Travel Lodge Motel, 1204 Central Ave., with a gunshot wound to the leg. Martin, who ran to the Travel Lodge after being shot at the Exxon station, was transported to an area hospital by LifeNet.
An investigation determined that Martin and a passenger in his vehicle, Derrick Wyatt, 38, of Hot Springs, were approached by an unknown suspect who had a gun in his hand after they arrived at the Exxon Saturday night, police said.
Martin drew a handgun and exchanged gunfire with the man, and a second unknown suspect in the parking lot also shot at Martin, police said.
"During the exchange of gunfire, 36 total shots were fired by three different weapons," police said in the news release.
Police reported earlier that Wyatt was struck in the hip/buttocks area, but Monday's release said another man previously reported as being shot in the leg, Jamerison Bedford, 23, of Hot Springs, was not struck by gunfire.
Bedford was inside of Martin's vehicle during the shooting and was struck in the eye by flying glass, police said.
Another man, James Edward Hill, 29, of Hot Springs, who was in the parking lot of the Exxon during the exchange of gunfire, was shot in the leg. Hill left before officers arrived and drove himself to an area hospital.
Hot Springs Cpl. Kirk Zaner said Monday that Hill was apparently a bystander to the incident.
A fourth occupant of Martin's vehicle, Kevon Benson, 21, of Hot Springs, was inside the vehicle during the shooting, but was not injured, police said.
"At this time, this case is still under investigation and no arrests have been made. Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call the Hot Springs Police Department at 501-321-6789," the release said.
Stachey said citizens who are concerned about the safety of the Grand-Central intersection should keep in mind that it is "one of the most visible areas within the city of Hot Springs."
"It has a high volume of traffic and pedestrian traffic in that area. It is a central location in Hot Springs. Obviously, we will look at incidents of crime at that one location and determine if we need to make any adjustments, or if we need to be proactive. Whatever we can do to address (any issues), if we see there are any issues that arise from this investigation," he said.
Local on 03/14/2017