3 arrested, 2 wanted after block party shooting in Texarkana leaves man dead, child shot

TEXARKANA, Ark. (KSLA) — Three people have been arrested and two are still wanted in connection with the of killing a 24-year-old man and the shooting a 6-year-old child during a block party in Texarkana, Ark.

The gunfire started about 7:40 p.m. Sunday, March 19 during a block party in the vicinity of Pinehurst and Grove streets. Police said someone fired numerous times. The next day, TAPD reported that Michael Clark died overnight as a result of this shooting. Meanwhile, the child’s injuries are considered non-life-threatening.

“Officers overheard a large volume of gunfire coming from the area,” police Cpl. Les Munn said.

Police say Daequeon “Quando” Williams turned himself in to TAPD on Friday, March 24 around 6 p.m. On March 29, suspect Kolby Hemphill was arrested. Kheuma Gilliam was also arrested and charged with first-degree murder and possession of a weapon by certain persons.

Tamarion McCoy and Chris Tyler are still wanted by police.

Police said there was a large crowd attending some kind of outdoor gathering when the shooting happened. When officers got on scene, they found multiple casings on the ground, and a number of vehicles damaged by bullets, but no victims. About five minutes later, police were called to a wreck near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Hazel Street.

“Officers arrived at that vehicle accident and determined one of the persons involved in the shooting situation at Pinehurst and Grove had been in that vehicle. It was later identified as a 6-year-old little boy that had been shot in the leg,” Cpl. Munn said.

Apparently, someone tried to rush the child to the hospital in a private vehicle, but that vehicle had a wreck while en route, according to police. Someone in a vehicle that was following them to the hospital then picked up the wounded child and carried him on to Wadley Regional Medical Center.

“The child is considered to have non-life-threatening injuries at this time,” says a post on the Police Department’s Facebook page. “We ask that you keep the child and family in your thoughts and prayers.”

Cpl. Munn said about an hour later, police received another call from the hospital about Clark suffering from a gunshot wound. He later died. It was determined that Clark was attending the event at Pinehurst and Grove.

“At this time, we don’t know what the motive of the situation was like. I say this was a very community-based social event going on where people were enjoying the weather being outside,” Cpl. Munn said.

Authorities urge anyone with any information about the shooting to call police investigators at 903-798-3154.

“At this point in time, we have no suspects. Nobody is in custody. We are asking the public for help in this situation. If you got some cellphone footage or residential camera footage of this, please contact our criminal investigation division,” Cpl. Munn urged.

Texarkana police are encouraging and asking the four men to turn themselves in to any police officer or go to the Bi-State Justice Center. If anyone knows the location of these suspects, please call 911.

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