Two suspects charged with murder in death of Hot Springs officer.

Man, 21, woman, 20, suspects

HOT SPRINGS — Capital-murder charges were filed Thursday against a man and woman in the shooting Tuesday of Hot Springs police officer Brent Scrimshire. The state plans to seek the death penalty for both suspects, Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Lawrence said in a news release.

Kayvon Moshawn Daking Ward, 21, who was still being treated Thursday at a hospital, is suspected of being the triggerman and is charged with capital murder with a felony firearm enhancement, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and possession of a defaced firearm.

Coriama Hernandez, 20, who lists a Linwood Avenue address, was booked into the jail shortly before 3 a.m. Wednesday on a 48-hour hold and was charged Thursday as an accomplice to capital murder and with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

The charges against both suspects were filed under seal Thursday by order of Garland County Circuit Judge Marcia Hearnsberger. Lawrence noted that Hearnsberger also planned to seek a gag order limiting pretrial publicity in the case.

Ward has been sought since Aug. 18 on unrelated felony warrants regarding the shooting of Zachary Bennett, 21. The two reportedly fought that August day at 315 Grove St. and Bennett suffered nonlife-threatening injuries.

Hot Springs police had posted Ward’s photo and information to media outlets and on social media, noting that he was to be considered “armed and dangerous” after the August incident.

According to a release issued by Lawrence, on Tuesday, around 6:30 p.m., Scrimshire conducted a routine traffic stop on a red Nissan Xterra in the 100 block of Kenwood Street after noting the vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign at Hobson and Linwood avenues.

Scrimshire, speaking with the driver, noted there was a child about 2 years old in the rear of the vehicle who was not in a safety seat, according to the release. Scrimshire asked the driver for his license and proof of insurance and asked him to contact someone to take the child or to get a car seat, the release said.

The driver reportedly provided a false name and date of birth at that time. Officer Anthony Larkin arrived to assist Scrimshire and a few minutes later, Hernandez arrived. The officers asked her what the driver’s name was, but she would not provide his name, the release said.

The driver began attempting to exit the vehicle as the officers were speaking with Hernandez, the release said. According to the release, the officers attempted to stop the driver and handcuff him. The driver reportedly told the officers three times that “they were not going to arrest him” and resisted arrest and began “actively fighting both officers,” the release said.

Hernandez reportedly also struggled with the officers, with Larkin eventually pushing Hernandez away, the release said.

“Hernandez’s actions allowed Kayvon Ward to break free from both officers and run into a fenced-in backyard,” the release states.

Once in the backyard, police said that the suspect fired several shots at Scrimshire and Larkin and one of the shots struck Scrimshire in the upper torso above his bullet-resistant vest. Both officers then returned fire striking Ward.

Police said that Hernandez got into the Nissan and fled once the shots were fired. A defaced firearm was recovered from underneath Ward, police said.

Both Scrimshire and Ward were transported by LifeNet to hospitals where Scrimshire was later pronounced dead “as a result of the gunshot wound inflicted upon him by Kayvon Ward,” the release states.

The shooting was investigated by the Arkansas State Police to ensure transparency, Lawrence had said earlier.