Matthew L. Anderson Andersen, 29, of Elkins was shot and killed by a Fayetteville police officer Wednesday during an attempted robbery at an Arvest Bank, according to a news release issued by city staff this morning.
Fayetteville Police Chief Greg Tabor said officers responded to a report of a robbery at the bank located at 1113 N. Garland Ave. at approximately 3:29 pm.
According to Tabor, the subject, while in a white passenger car in the bank’s drive through, presented a note to the employee demanding money. Upon the officers’ arrival they located the suspect near the drive-through window and announced their presence.
The release goes on to state that the suspect began backing away from an officer blocking the front side of his vehicle and by doing so, nearly struck two other officers who had responded to the scene. Despite officers’ warnings to stop and show his hands, the suspect then began ramming an occupied vehicle behind his car several times in an apparent attempt to escape.
Tabor says that due to the suspect’s reckless actions with seemingly no regard for the safety of those around him, an officer fired his service weapon at the suspect to stop the threat. The suspect was wounded as a result of the shooting and his injuries proved fatal.
No officers were injured during the altercation.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the criminal investigation into the shooting incident at the Tabor’s request. Per departmental policy, one officer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of the investigation.
Update: December 3, 2009, 5:18pm
Fayetteville Police Chief Greg Tabor released additional information this afternoon regarding the officer-involved shooting.
There were four officers on the scene at the time of the shooting; Sergeant Shannon Gabbard, Sergeant Chris Moad, Detective David Williams, and Officer Thomas Reed. There were a total of three shots fired, all by Corporal David Williams.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an independent criminal investigation while the Fayetteville Police Department is conducting an investigation of the attempted robbery and an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident. Per departmental policy, Detective David Williams has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of the internal investigation.
The suspect’s body has been transferred to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory Medical Examiner’s Office for a formal autopsy.
