A man police say fatally shot another man before attempting to shoot himself is being detained by officials. Arkansas police arrested the 34-year-old man after he allegedly attempted a murder-suicide in early November. As with most violent crimes, police are still investigating the particulars of this case, and according to the report, no court date has been announced.
Police say a 34-year-old man entered a residential home on Nov. 2 in Ash Flat, apparently carrying a gun. Police are still determining the reason the man entered the home, but they suspect he intended to rob the residence. In the course of this attempt, a gun was apparently discharged, and another man in the house was shot and injured. The 34-year-old then apparently attempted to turn the gun on himself, though it is unclear what stopped him from committing suicide.
Police apprehended the man, and emergency crews rushed the injured party to a local hospital. The injured man was pronounced dead of his injuries some ten days later. The suspected individual now faces charges of murder in the first degree, aggravated assault on a family or household member, violating a protection order and aggravated residential burglary.
If he is found guilty of any of the violent crimes of which he is accused, the 34-year-old man could realistically spend the rest of his life in prison. This is why the burden of proof rests on Arkansas prosecutors to prove not only that he attempted to kill the other man, but that the attempt was premeditated. The man’s defense team will review the facts of the case in order to help build a convincing defense and to ensure the man’s rights were observed throughout the apprehension.
Source: arkansasonline.com, “Prosecutor: 34-year-old who shot man, himself at Arkansas home charged with murder“, Kally Patz, Nov. 20, 2017