Officer’s shooting in 2016 ruled justified

A prosecutor’s office has ruled that a Little Rock police officer was justified in the shooting of an unarmed man last December, an official said Tuesday.

Officer Kalvin Snow shot and injured Gary Johnson during a December incident in southwest Little Rock. After reviewing the investigative case file, the Pulaski County prosecuting attorney’s office ruled that Snow was justified in the shooting, chief deputy prosecutor John Johnson said.

Police found Gary Johnson on the porch outside of 34 Harrow Drive the evening of Dec. 5 after he had reportedly called 911 and said he was armed with two handguns and had killed people, according to a statement from police.

On the porch, Gary Johnson had his hands in his jacket pockets and did not follow the officers’ repeated commands to show his hands, according to the statement.

Gary Johnson began walking rapidly into the street before quickly taking his hand out of his pocket and extending his arm toward the officers, police said.

Snow shot Johnson, causing him to fall on the ground, police said. Once on the ground, Johnson extended his hand again, and Snow fired a second time, the statement said.

Police said Snow fired because he feared Johnson had a handgun. Police later found that Johnson was unarmed and had not killed anybody. Johnson was not charged in the incident.

Given all the facts and circumstances of the incident, prosecutor John Johnson said it was apparent that the officer was justified in the use of force.

John Johnson said a dash camera on a police vehicle also captured images of the incident. Four to five senior attorneys review the case files on officer-involved shootings before the office makes a determination, John Johnson said.