UPDATED: Man dies after officer-involved shooting in Fayetteville

UPDATE: The Fayetteville Police Department on Wednesday announced it had closed its internal investigation, which found that officer Brandon Jones followed protocol during the incident. Read the findings here.

Willie Tillman / Washington County Sheriff’s Office

A man who was shot last month during an altercation with Fayetteville police has died.

Willie Tillman, 33, of Marianna, was shot while attempting to flee from police during a traffic stop on College Avenue on April 23.

According to a police report, Tillman was stopped for driving a maroon Chrysler 200 without headlights near the intersection of College and Township Street at about 2:25 a.m. During the stop, Cpl. Patrick Hanby and officer Brandon Jones asked Tillman to step outside the vehicle, but after exiting, Tillman dove back inside and started to drive away with both officers partially in the car. After moving a short distance, the vehicle stopped and the officers used their stun guns.

The tasers were ineffective, but Cpl. Hanby was able to exit the vehicle. After attempting to drive away a second time, Tillman and officer Jones began to struggle inside the vehicle as it moved past Township Street and turned onto Sunbridge Drive. During the struggle, Jones shot Tillman in the abdomen, leg and chest. Tillman then stopped the vehicle and was pulled out of the car at a parking lot near the corner of Sunbridge and Villa Boulevard.

Both officers rendered first aid until paramedics arrived to take Tillman to a local hospital, according to a news release.

Fayetteville Police Chief Greg Tabor said he was notified on Monday that Tillman had died from his injuries.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of Mr. Tillman during their time of loss,” said Tabor.

Police records indicate that felony warrants had been issued for Tillman in Washington County and Pope County for drug and firearm charges, and that Tillman was wanted by the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections for a parole violation.

Per department policy, officer Jones remains on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation which is expected to conclude sometime this week was put on paid leave during an internal investigation which later found that he followed proper protocol during the incident.