In Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor Frank Scott Jr. and Police Chief Heath Helton addressed a series of deadly shootings that occurred during the week, bringing attention to the city’s growing concerns about violent crime. Four individuals lost their lives to gun violence, leaving their families in mourning. The mayor expressed his condolences to the grieving families, describing the shootings as senseless acts that defied logic.
The first incident occurred on Monday when 47-year-old Cynthia Gregory was fatally shot during an attempted robbery in the parking lot of Park Plaza Mall. The Little Rock Police Department arrested 18-year-old Abdelrahmanahmed Sallam in connection with Gregory’s death. Sallam faces multiple charges, including capital murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, theft of property, and refusal to submit to arrest.
On Tuesday morning, the body of 15-year-old John Staats was discovered inside a vehicle on Stanton Road after a shooting. Authorities arrested a juvenile in connection with Staats’ death, although the identity of the suspect was not publicly disclosed. Later that evening, 19-year-old Anthony White was shot and killed at the Westbridge Apartments on Labette Manor Drive.
Chief Helton provided additional context, revealing that January had seen eight homicides in total. He explained that four of these deaths were domestic-related, while the remaining four were unrelated. Arrests had been made in six of the cases, according to the chief. The shootings occurred across different parts of the city, with four homicides reported in the northwest, two in the southwest, and two in the 12th Street corridor.
Reflecting on recent trends, Helton noted that Little Rock had experienced 37 homicides in 2024. The year 2022 marked the city’s deadliest year, with a total of 81 homicides.
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