Arkansas police arrest suspect in connection to car show shooting that killed 1, wounded 26
Police have arrested a suspect in connection to a shooting at a southeast Arkansas car show that left one person dead and 26 wounded.
Arkansas State Police arrested Brandon Deandra Knight, 22, of Jacksonville, after he was released from the hospital Wednesday morning, according to a Wednesday statement. Knight was charged with battery and aggravated assault and is being held at the Dumas City Jail ahead of a Thursday court appearance.
Police did not elaborate Wednesday on Knight's involvement in the shooting.
Police identified Cameron Shaffer, 23, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, as the fatal victim in the shooting, which took place Saturday at an event meant to promote nonviolence in Dumas, a town of less than 5,000 people about 90 miles south of Little Rock.
Officials initially said 28 people were wounded in the shooting, but the Arkansas State Police released a statement Monday saying one person was killed and 26 were wounded by gunfire.
Among the wounded were five children under the age of 11, including two toddlers, who were taken to the hospital, according to the statement.
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Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler said state troopers responded to reports of a shooting around 7:25 p.m. Saturday. Dumas Police Chief Keith Finch said the car show was in full swing when "multiple gunmen began shooting."
Investigators believe the shooting began as a gunfight between two people, Arkansas State Police Col. Bill Bryant said Sunday.
"You don't expect that from small-town Arkansas," he said Sunday.
The annual event, called the 16th annual Hood-Nic Car Show, included a parade, bike show and other activities to raise funds for scholarships and school supplies, according to the organization's website. Wallace McGehee, the car show organizer, said the event promotes nonviolence.
"This has never happened with us at our event ever," McGehee said. "For something like this to happen, it's a tragedy."
Contributing: John Bacon and Celina Tebor, USA TODAY
Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arkansas car show shooting: Suspect arrested; 1 dead, 26 wounded
