Officers inside a police substation heard gunfire. They reportedly encountered Rben Smith, who was armed, in the parking lot of a tobacco store. When officers tried to stop the Smith, he jumped into a bystander’s vehicle that was parked in front of the tobacco store. They continued to try to persuade him to put down the gun, but he refused and then reportedly pointed it at the officers. One officer shot and killed him.
Victim's Name: Ruben Smith III
Agency Responsible: North Little Rock Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Race: Black
Date of Death: May 28, 2020
County: Pulaski
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: No
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: gun
Threat Level: other
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 5906