Osceola officer’s gun goes off, wounding teen, police report

OSCEOLA — A 16-year-old boy was shot when an Osceola police officer’s weapon discharged as she was attempting to arrest him Friday morning, authorities said.

The boy, whom police did not name because he is a minor, was treated at a Memphis hospital and returned home later Friday. No officer was injured.

Osceola Police Chief David Gladden has asked the Arkansas State Police to investigate the shooting. Gladden did not return telephone messages Friday.

State Police spokesman Bill Sadler said in a news release that Osceola police officers were called to an attempted robbery at the Shell convenience store at 4610 W. Keiser Ave. and Interstate 55 at 1:40 a.m. Friday. When officers arrived, they arrested one person.

The 16-year-old tried to get into a vehicle parked in the store’s lot and an officer tried to remove him from it, the release said. The officer’s gun discharged, striking the boy.

A third youth ran from the store. Police continue to search for that person.

A worker who answered a call at the Shell station but did not give his name said the store is open 24 hours. He said the store was not robbed.

After state police officers conclude their investigation into the shooting, they will turn their report over to the Mississippi County prosecuting attorney to determine if the use of deadly force was justified by the officer, Sadler said in the release.