Latest news with #LittleRockPolice
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents demand return of community policing at southwest Little Rock town hall
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Tensions and hope filled the Southwest Community Center Tuesday night as residents of southwest Little Rock gathered for a town hall meeting demanding a safer neighborhood — and a louder voice. Hosted by Arkansas Community Organizations, the forum brought together dozens of neighbors, community advocates, and local officials. Little Rock crime discussed in Chris Cuomo's town hall focused on 'Crime in America' Their message was clear: 'We are tired of feeling unsafe — and unheard,' the Arkansas Community Organizations President said. The call to action focused on reinstating community policing — officers on foot or bike patrol who know the people they serve rather than just responding to emergencies from a distance. 'We need it,' said Valencia White, a member of Arkansas Community Organizations. 'If they want us to trust them, they got to show up.' Many residents shared similar frustrations, reporting repeated incidents of gunfire, speeding cars, and suspected drug houses. Yet, they say their concerns they say are often brushed off or delayed by law enforcement, who categorize these calls as 'non-emergencies.' 'They take hours — sometimes until the next day — to respond,' one attendee said. Despite those concerns, police data paints a different picture. According to Mark Edwards, spokesperson for the Little Rock Police Department, 'Of our three divisions — Northwest, 12th Street, and Southwest — Southwest has, from a crime percentage standpoint, the best of the three.' They emphasized that community policing isn't just about deterring crime — it's about building relationships and trust between officers and the people they serve. The model once existed in Little Rock, and now, residents want it back. Tensions rise in Brushy Island community over development of police shooting range They are calling on city leaders — including the mayor, police chief, and city directors — to recommit to walking the streets with the people, not apart from them. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Attorney for widow of former Little Rock airport executive Bryan Malinowski discusses lawsuit against ATF over deadly 2024 raid & shooting
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – More than a year after his death, the family of former Little Rock Airport Director Bryan Malinowski is suing the ATF and agents who participated in the search warrant that resulted in his death. The lawsuit claims that the agents violated the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, as well as many other federal policies and state laws, before and after the search warrant. Attorney speaks on gun show loophole explained as cause for ATF raid on home of Bryan Malinowski Attorney Bud Cummins represents Bryan Malinowski's widow, Maer Malinowski, in the complaint. It states that on March 19, 2024, ATF agents with Little Rock Police turned on a siren for 1.5 seconds before turning off the siren and keeping on lights. Agents allegedly knocked on Malinowski's storm door and shouted for less than half a minute before deciding to break in those doors and the wooden door behind them. All of it happened shortly after 6 a.m. and an hour before sunrise. 'Never rang the doorbell. Knocked and waited 20 to 25 seconds before they started forcibly breaking open the door and never made an announcement again that they were police, who they were, and what their purpose was, and that's really where the constitutional violations occur,' Cummins said. Widow of former Little Rock airport executive Bryan Malinowski sues ATF over deadly 2024 raid shooting Cummins argued a reasonable search warrant execution would have given someone with no criminal record more time to get to the door. He said that when Malinowski awoke, he did not see police lights or hear anything but what he believed were intruders. When agents entered the home, Malinowski was a few feet from his bedroom and 30 feet down a hall to the agents' left. Malinowski shot one in the heel, the lawsuit states. Another agent returned fire, shooting Malinowski in the head. 'From the side where Bryan Malinowski saw intruders coming into his home, there were no markings that identified them as police, and they were not making any announcements that they were police,' Cummins said. D.C. lawmakers hold hearing on Little Rock Airport Executive Bryan Malinowski's death According to the suit, there was disorganization during the execution of the search warrant. The agent carrying a ballistic shield with 'POLICE' on it never entered the home when he was supposed to enter first. The agent who entered first instead told investigators, 'I think we were unprepared for the French doors.' Several other agents are quoted in the 72-page lawsuit. 'But for their planning and their execution, Bryan Malinowski would have been alive today. His death is completely attributable to the mistakes that are described in that complaint,' Cummins argued. The lawsuit also claims Malinowski's widow was wrongfully detained for hours with no legitimate reason. Neither she nor her husband had an arrest warrant for them, only a search warrant alleging Bryan Malinowski was selling firearms without a $200 license, which requires more record keeping of who guns are sold to. 'When there is no fact or circumstances to lead law enforcement to think there is risk of danger, risk of destruction of evidence, risk of fleeing, there is absolutely no reason to use these tactics, and by golly, if you are going to use them, you've got to do it right,' Cummins said. Attorney for family of Malinowski says 'It's far from over' after prosecutor declines to charge agents Last Summer, District Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones decided not to file charges against ATF agents, saying their use of force was justified. On Thursday, Jones said he had not read the new lawsuit and would not have anything additional to say regarding it. Cummins anticipates the trial will likely not be heard in 2025. Maer Malinowski also shared a statement following the lawsuit's filing. 'Today's lawsuit seeks justice for the nightmare I've been living for the last 14 months,' Maer Malinowski said in part. 'Bryan believed the men who broke into our home were intruders, and he took a bullet to the forehead and ultimately gave his life defending me and our home from people he thought were trying to harm us.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Little Rock police investigating deadly Sunday night shooting
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Officials with the Little Rock Police Department are investigating a deadly shooting that happened Sunday night. According to a post on , LRPD officers responded to a shots-fired call at 9:42 p.m. at a home in the 9000 block of Auxor Road. Officers said that when they arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. Police said the man was transported to a local hospital where he later died. Yell County Sheriff's Department investigating deadly Sunday morning shooting Police said that they secured the area and notified homicide detectives who began an investigation. LRPD officials did not release any information regarding the identify of the victim or if there are any suspects in the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Little Rock Police Department at 501-371-4660. This is a developing story, please check back for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Little Rock residents react to the arrest of teen accused of deadly shooting at Park Plaza Mall
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Before Abdelrahmanahmed Sallam allegedly killed Cynthia Gregory, police say he used the same gun to scare a teen he met online through Facebook Marketplace. The affidavit from Little Rock Police said an exchange for an iPhone 15 at a Sharks on Fair Park Boulevard went wrong when the teen saw he'd been scammed with a fake. As he tried to reverse the deal, the person, later identified by witnesses as Sallam, ran off firing four to five rounds behind him. Police say he also deleted the associated account which made all online messages unreadable. Court records show previous aggravated robbery investigation leads to arrest of accused Park Plaza Mall shooter Ardane Torres lives near Park Plaza where police state Sallam's next crime was 8 days later. 'It's scary because we can't just trust anyone that you will just meet,' Torres said. Halfway between the Jan. 19 armed robbery and the Jan. 27 murder, police say on Jan. 24 Sallam leased a new apartment at the Park Avenue Lofts. According to the affidavit, surveillance video caught the suspect walking from the loft parking lot, running to Gregory, trying to steal her purse, shooting her, and retreating across the street to hop over the Chick-fil-A parking lot fence. Cameras also caught him returning to the Park Avenue Lofts parking deck. Friends remember Park Plaza shooting victim Cynthia Gregory Kristina Ballard was walking nearby by herself to run errands on Thursday. She said she was on edge before learning an arrest was made. 'It kind of gives you a scare. Is it safe? I mean can I go outside? Do I have to carry a weapon? Do I have to be on alert?' Ballard asked. Police matched shell casings from the robbery to the murder, and arrested Sallam for armed robbery. When they searched Sallam's apartment, they also found the same clothes seen worn during the murder. 'I've been through rough times, and I understand you get desperate…on the other hand, dude, you've been in the world long enough, you don't treat people, that's not the way to go about things,' Ballard said. Little Rock police arrest suspect in deadly Park Plaza Mall shooting After Little Rock Police announced the arrest, Park Plaza Mall sent a statement. In part, the last paragraph reads: 'We share the frustration and sadness that such an event could happen here – whether at Park Plaza or anywhere in our neighborhood. This is our shared community, and we are committed to doing our best to keep it safe and thriving. We believe in the future of Little Rock and the vibrancy of Park Plaza as part of that future.' Park Plaza Mall Friday at 9 am, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Junior and Police Chief Heath Helton will hold a public safety update inside Little Rock Police Headquarters. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Park Plaza shoppers ‘shocked' after woman was shot, killed in mall parking lot
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Several shoppers at Park Plaza Mall say they're still on edge, as Little Rock police investigate the homicide of a woman who was shot and killed in the parking lot of the mall Monday night. Officials with the Little Rock Police Department confirmed Tuesday that the victim was 47-year-old Cynthia Gregory. Little Rock police release name of woman killed in Park Plaza Mall shooting According to LRPD, officers responded shortly after 6 p.m. to the mall at 6000 West Markham Street. After arriving on the scene, officers said they found Gregory after she had been shot. She was taken to the hospital where she later died. Mimi Berry lives in Little Rock and says she often goes shopping at the mall but is rethinking that decision. 'Its horrible, it's absolutely horrible,' Berry said. 'It's shocking and it should not be going on here. I guess everyone has to be very very careful.' This is the second shooting at the mall in a matter of months, the other happening on Black Friday in 2024 when two people were shot and injured. Weeks later police made an arrest in that case. Nassim Kerawala owns a business just steps away from the mall. She said she remembers the chaos of the November shooting. 'We had to shut down because there were so many cops and people were scared and everybody was just running around,' Kerawala said. Woman dead after being found shot in Park Plaza Mall parking lot Kerawala says after this shooting she isn't comfortable even taking her daughter inside the mall and the businesses around her are also feeling the impact. 'It affects all of us. You see, many of us are not open,' Kerawala said. Officials with Park Plaza Mall released a statement saying they are cooperating with law enforcement during their investigation. 'We are heartbroken about the incident on Monday evening, and our deepest sympathies are with the victim, her family, and friends. We continue to work diligently to assist Little Rock Police in their ongoing investigation. Over the past several years, Park Plaza has made significant investments into the center, including enhancements to security infrastructure, resources, and operations. We also continue to work actively with local leaders, Little Rock Police, and other first responders to further enhance safety at the property and in our community. We are focused on providing our guests, tenants, and employees a safe place to shop, gather, and work. Their safety and well-being remains our highest priority.' Officials with Park Plaza Mall However, Kerawala believes more needs to change when it comes to security. 'They're getting better, but they need more improvement,' she said. 'I don't know who walks in there or if its safe to go in there anymore.' No suspect information has been released at the time. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the Little Rock Police Department. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
