JONESBORO, Ark. – When JPD Officer Brandon Butler arrived to the 1800-block of Cedar Heights late Saturday, September 16, he noticed a man lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the head.
Richard Alton Bogan, 26, of Jonesboro, was the gunshot victim on the ground. He was not the only person shot in the incident, however, as the just-released report details.
A litany of officers from multiple departments responded to the troubled apartment complex shortly before 11 p.m. to assist in both the investigation and crowd control. The scene descended into chaos as Officer Zachary Mcquay rendered first-aid to Bogan. As he applied pressure to the gunshot wound on Bogan’s forehead, he said several male and female bystanders began to fight around him. With the bystanders not listening, Mcquay deployed his taser on a man, later identified as Paul Anthony Love, 27, of Jonesboro. He was later cited for disorderly conduct.
With other officers arriving to assist, the police force learned of a second gunshot victim – Deonte D. Love, 20, of Jonesboro. Two wounds, one on top of his left shoulder and one on top of his right shoulder, were present on the man. He was transported to the hospital. Police learned he had warrants through Mississippi County. Authorities there asked him to be given a court date for the warrants.
When Detective Keri Varner arrived to the scene, she began trying to make sense of what had happened. She found two spent .32 shell casings, two unspent shotgun shells, one more spent bullet, and a purple shirt with blood on it.
However, no one on the scene wanted to talk or tell Varner who had fired the shots.
Varner interviewed several and learned it began as a dispute between Deonte Love and Bogan. Bogan reportedly was mad at some people for driving around and showing guns off. During that time, Deonte Love was said to have began laughing at him, which upset Bogan. The two engaged in an altercation and Bogan was said to have called several friends over to Deonte Love’s porch. A fight ensued but during the fight, someone in the crowd began firing gunshots.
Varner continued her efforts to speak to people close to the case but none of those involved were willing to cooperate.
Several days later, a female subject spoke to police and seemed to provided much-needed information. She said during the mayhem, another witness had shouted, “they shot their own guy,” in reference to Deonte Love.
Authorities have hit a roadblock in the investigation. Depspite several being hospitalized and an entire apartment complex being rattled by gunfire, witnesses have chosen the absurd route of not speaking to police, even anonymously, which could help prevent a future shooting or worse.
If you know who did this or information which might help…
Get this criminal off the street. Stop protecting a bad person who will lead a life harming others, possibly your own family. Contact Det. Keri Varner at (870) 933-4614 or leave an anonymous tip by calling Crimestoppers at (870) 935-STOP.
Don’t let criminals own your neighborhood or intimidate you from speaking up.
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