Arkansas officer was ‘ambushed and executed’ in a police station parking lot, police say

A Fayetteville, Arkansas, police officer was shot and killed in the police station’s parking lot Saturday night, the department said in a statement.

Evidence shows Officer Stephen Carr, a patrol officer who had served the department for more than two years, was “ambushed and executed while sitting in his patrol vehicle,” the Fayetteville Police Department said.

Two officers heard gunshots behind the station around 9:42 p.m. local time, according to police. In the parking they lot they found an armed suspect later identified as 35-year-old London T. Phillips.

A confrontation ensured and the officers fired at Phillips, who was injured, the police said. The officers gave medical attention to the wounded men and paramedics were called, but Carr and the suspect both died at the scene.

The names of the two officers involved have be not been released, but the department said they would be placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation. The department also asked the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI to conduct independent investigations, it said.

In the news release, the Fayetteville Police Department celebrated Carr’s “dedication and professionalism,” calling him a hero.

“We would like to thank our community for their outpouring of support, along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners for their quick response and assistance,” the statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Carr’s family during this tragic time.”