The Baxter Bulletin (Mountain Home, AR) has the following
article:
Gassville police officer
fatally shot
By ARMANDO RIOS
Bulletin Staff Writer
A man suspected of killing a Gassville police officer died early Sunday morning at a Springfield, Mo., hospital where he had been flown following a shootout with Arkansas State Police and Baxter County Sheriff's office personnel in downtown Norfork. Also killed in the shootout was the 18-year-old man's passenger.
Arkansas State Police identified the dead officer as Jim Sell, 63.
Jacob D. Robida, died at 3:38 a.m. Sunday at Cox-South Hospital in Springfield, hospital spokesman Randy Berger said. Robida was a suspect in a rampage in a Massachusetts gay bar Thursday, according to the Associated Press.
Robida was wanted in the attack which left three men wounded, one critically.
The dead woman has been identified as Jennifer Rena Bailey, 33, of Charleston, W.Va. "Apparently she's had a prior relationship with this guy and had been corresponding with him," West Virginia State Police Sgt. C.J. Ellyson said.
"At approximately 2:33 p.m. Saturday the Gassville Police officer made a traffic stop on a green car with out-of-state license plates at the Brass Door, 621 E. Main St., here in Gassville," said Gassville Police Investigator Scott Thrasher. "It was unknown why the officer stopped the vehicle. He was shot approximately two times by what appeared to be a 9-mm handgun from one of the occupants of the vehicle. He died approximately 30 minutes later at Baxter Regional Medical Center. This is an open homicide investigation. There is another scene in the county."
Assisting Gassville police at the scene were the Cotter Police Department, Baxter County Sheriff's Office and Arkansas State Police.
In downtown Norfork, officers barricaded two blocks on State Highway 5 where the green auto hit several other parked vehicles.
Sheriff John Montgomery said one of the suspects at the scene was critically injured and one died in Norfork. An investigator said a woman was dead in the auto. The coroner arrived shortly after to pick up her body.
Sell went to the driver's side door of the auto he stopped at The Brass Door in Gassville, and was shot by the suspect later identified as Robida, of New Bedford, Mass.
After the Gassville officer was shot, the auto headed to Mountain Home, took the Sheid-Hopper bypass and turned south on State Highway 201 driving toward Norfork, pursued by BCSO and ASP patrol cars.
The Baxter County 911 operator received a call from The Brass Door Motel reporting Sell had been shot.
Deputies with the BCSO responded to the scene. A description of the suspect's vehicle was given and broadcast to responding officers, Montgomery said. Just west of Mountain Home, a deputy met the suspect vehicle and turned around to follow it. The vehicle fled and the deputy gave chase.
Officers with the BCSO and ASP pursued the suspect south on State Highway 201 South.
"Spike strips were deployed on Highway 341 which took out his front tires," Montgomery said. The vehicle was slowed down.
Ruts made by the tire rims were visible in the pavement in Norfork where the vehicle continued after the tires fell off.
"Then they came on down in here," Montgomery said as he stood behind the police tape at the scene. "When he wrecked, he started firing at our officer and a state police officer, and the officers returned fire."
Montgomery said the man started shooting at the officers while still in the vehicle. Officers returned fire.
Montgomery said a joint investigation into the circumstances of both shooting incidents is being conducted by the Arkansas State Police and Baxter County Sheriff's Office.
More detailed information will be released as the circumstances of the incident are confirmed and verified, he said.
A press conference is set for 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Sheriff's Office conference room.
Updates will be posted as soon as more information becomes available.
By ARMANDO RIOS
Bulletin Staff Writer
A man suspected of killing a Gassville police officer died early Sunday morning at a Springfield, Mo., hospital where he had been flown following a shootout with Arkansas State Police and Baxter County Sheriff's office personnel in downtown Norfork. Also killed in the shootout was the 18-year-old man's passenger.
Arkansas State Police identified the dead officer as Jim Sell, 63.
Jacob D. Robida, died at 3:38 a.m. Sunday at Cox-South Hospital in Springfield, hospital spokesman Randy Berger said. Robida was a suspect in a rampage in a Massachusetts gay bar Thursday, according to the Associated Press.
Robida was wanted in the attack which left three men wounded, one critically.
The dead woman has been identified as Jennifer Rena Bailey, 33, of Charleston, W.Va. "Apparently she's had a prior relationship with this guy and had been corresponding with him," West Virginia State Police Sgt. C.J. Ellyson said.
"At approximately 2:33 p.m. Saturday the Gassville Police officer made a traffic stop on a green car with out-of-state license plates at the Brass Door, 621 E. Main St., here in Gassville," said Gassville Police Investigator Scott Thrasher. "It was unknown why the officer stopped the vehicle. He was shot approximately two times by what appeared to be a 9-mm handgun from one of the occupants of the vehicle. He died approximately 30 minutes later at Baxter Regional Medical Center. This is an open homicide investigation. There is another scene in the county."
Assisting Gassville police at the scene were the Cotter Police Department, Baxter County Sheriff's Office and Arkansas State Police.
In downtown Norfork, officers barricaded two blocks on State Highway 5 where the green auto hit several other parked vehicles.
Sheriff John Montgomery said one of the suspects at the scene was critically injured and one died in Norfork. An investigator said a woman was dead in the auto. The coroner arrived shortly after to pick up her body.
Sell went to the driver's side door of the auto he stopped at The Brass Door in Gassville, and was shot by the suspect later identified as Robida, of New Bedford, Mass.
After the Gassville officer was shot, the auto headed to Mountain Home, took the Sheid-Hopper bypass and turned south on State Highway 201 driving toward Norfork, pursued by BCSO and ASP patrol cars.
The Baxter County 911 operator received a call from The Brass Door Motel reporting Sell had been shot.
Deputies with the BCSO responded to the scene. A description of the suspect's vehicle was given and broadcast to responding officers, Montgomery said. Just west of Mountain Home, a deputy met the suspect vehicle and turned around to follow it. The vehicle fled and the deputy gave chase.
Officers with the BCSO and ASP pursued the suspect south on State Highway 201 South.
"Spike strips were deployed on Highway 341 which took out his front tires," Montgomery said. The vehicle was slowed down.
Ruts made by the tire rims were visible in the pavement in Norfork where the vehicle continued after the tires fell off.
"Then they came on down in here," Montgomery said as he stood behind the police tape at the scene. "When he wrecked, he started firing at our officer and a state police officer, and the officers returned fire."
Montgomery said the man started shooting at the officers while still in the vehicle. Officers returned fire.
Montgomery said a joint investigation into the circumstances of both shooting incidents is being conducted by the Arkansas State Police and Baxter County Sheriff's Office.
More detailed information will be released as the circumstances of the incident are confirmed and verified, he said.
A press conference is set for 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Sheriff's Office conference room.
Updates will be posted as soon as more information becomes available.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Allan Fish
Greenwood, IN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Greenwood, IN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
