Arkansas State Police: Officer shoots man in incident along Interstate 49 in Rogers | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

ROGERS — A Guatemalan man was shot by an Arkansas state trooper during an incident in Rogers on Saturday, according to a news release from the Arkansas State Police.

Angel Zapet-Alvarado, 26, of Guatemala is charged with second-degree assault in connection with the incident. Other charges are pending, according to a news release from state police.

The officer, whose name has not yet been released, stopped Zapet-Alvarado’s vehicle around 7:43 p.m. Saturday after seeing the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed in heavy traffic southbound on Interstate 49 near the 80 mile marker, the news release said.

Zapet-Alvarado refused to get out of the vehicle and resisted the officer’s attempts to remove him, the news release said. The officer attempted to use her stun gun on Zapet-Alvarado, but he ripped the gun away from her and threw it into the roadway, the news release said.

A 31-year-old woman driving on the highway witnessed the altercation, stopped her vehicle and attempted to assist the officer, the release said.

The officer then fired a bullet at Zapet-Alvarado, wounding him in his right temple, the press release said.

Zapet-Alvarado was taken to Mercy Hospital in Rogers, where he was treated before being released to police, the news release said. He was taken to the Benton County Jail.

The officer was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, the press release said.

The State Police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the incident.

According to the press release, an investigative file will be presented to the district attorney, who will determine whether the use of deadly force was consistent with Arkansas law.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders was notified of the incident and commended the officer and the assisting motorist.

“These two women who put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of their communities are heroes. Thanks to their swift, courageous action, a criminal illegal immigrant is now caught and off the streets,” Sanders said.

The governor also took the opportunity to place some of the blame on President Joe Biden’s administration.

“Despite their denial and the media’s cover-up, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris created the worst border crisis in history and must be held accountable,” Sanders said.

Col. Mike Hagar, Arkansas Secretary of Public Safety and Director of the State Police, also praised the officer and the intervening motorist, but also expressed concern that the suspect was an illegal immigrant.

“I have the same fear and frustration when someone attacks one of our Troopers, but it’s even more disturbing that this suspect is an undocumented, illegal immigrant from Guatemala,” Hagar said. “That shows another level of lawlessness that will not be tolerated in our state.”