Arkansas State Police are investigating a shooting outside a Hot Springs residence that injured a local man who was treated and later released from a local hospital.
DeVonja Johnson, 23, was found by a Hot Springs police officer outside a residence in the 300 block of Thornton with a gunshot wound at around 12:15 a.m. Tuesday, Bill Sadler, public information officer for the state police, said in an email to the newspaper.
A post was later made on Johnson's Facebook page stating "hspd shot me and left me for dead" and asking someone to come to CHI St. Vincent's Hot Springs to get him because "they refuse to let me leave."
When asked about the allegation, Sadler responded in an email, "At this juncture in the investigation there is no particular suspect. Once the investigation is completed, it will be submitted to the Garland County Prosecuting Attorney to consider whether any crime was committed and if anyone should be criminally charged."
Sadler, in the earlier email, said that "Authorities within the Hot Springs Police Department have requested the assistance of the Arkansas State Police in the investigation of an overnight shooting incident." The email did not state why the police department requested the assistance. Hot Springs Police Chief Jason Stachey could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
A witness at the scene told the Sentinel-Record that she heard a single gunshot outside of her residence and found a young man lying in the middle of the street, screaming he had been shot.
"Everybody just kind of turned a blind eye to him, but I couldn't," the witness said.
"He was delusional from the pain. He had three wounds, one in each thigh and another in his groin," she said.
The witness said she called 911 and Hot Springs police officers arrived a short time later.
Tuesday afternoon, officers with the Hot Springs Police Department and Arkansas State Police were investigating the scene. Cpl. Brandon Jones and his K-9 companion, Keena, were searching the area for any evidence related to the shooting, while investigators interviewed witnesses.
Local on 10/25/2017