JONESBORO, Ark. – A Sunday shooting on Race Street in Jonesboro seemed to have occurred after the victim began talking to another man and somehow in the process, offended a group of juveniles. The man was shot in the mayhem.
The police incident report, released to the press on Wednesday, October 4, details authorities running into several proverbial brick walls which have left the case stalled.
At 3:35 p.m., Sunday, October 1, police were dispatched to the 3500-block of Race Street where several reports came in of multiple gunshots being fired. A group of juveniles was reported by a caller. Officer Keith Baggett arrived and began circling the area, observing a pair of black slip on shoes which were in the roadway at Race and Crawford. It appeared someone had run out of their shoes while heading north on Race.
Five spent shell casings were found, corresponding with reports of four to five shots being fired. Multiple unspent shells were found on the ground, as well.
Police visited with the victim, who has since been released from the hospital. The victim, Benjamin Dewayne Scott, 24, of Jonesboro, said he was going to meet “Pickle” and when he arrived at Race Street, found Pickle with as many as fourteen “young black kids.” Scott said he got out of his car and spoke to Pickle but that seemed to offend some of the others. One of the others stated Scott and Pickle “weren’t the only two there,” as though he felt disrespected. Scott then said the kids grouped up as though they were going to start something with him. Pickle then reportedly got in the middle and tried calming everyone down. It didn’t work, as someone chambered a round into the barrel of a pistol. The unmistakable noise caused Scott to respond that he wasn’t worried and said he could get his if they wanted.
Shots rang out at the aggressive response. Scott was shot. Everyone scattered from the scene, as described in reports.
Scott became less cooperative when asked about his pistol. He told police they didn’t need to know where the gun was or who his friend was, according to Officer Bill Brown’s narrative. When Brown asked if he could look at Scott’s vehicle, he reported Scott responded with, “Hell no, you need to look at the shooters vehicle. Not mine.” He told him he didn’t want to talk to police anymore. Around the same time, police dealt with several of his friends in the waiting room who were causing a disturbance, the multiple narratives detailed.
Authorities searched elsewhere to continue the investigation. A pistol was located in the Crawford Trailer Park, 2620 Crawford after a witness said she saw a black male wearing a red shirt dump a gun inside of the trash can and then take off. A black and silver pistol was located.
A witness who did not want to be identified made positive identification of “Nukey Corleone” on Facebook as the man who tossed the gun. He was identified as Antonio Dewayne Funches, 18, of Jonesboro, the report said.
By Tuesday, October 3, after multiple efforts to reach out to Scott, he was reached. The report said he told Brown he did not want to talk to him “ever again.”
The report did not indicate authorities were able to make contact with the suspect. With Scott not cooperating, as detailed by police, the investigation seems to have stalled.
If you have any information, evidence, or tips which could help authorities, contact JPD at 870-935-5551 or Crimestoppers at 870-935-7867.
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