Affidavit: Blood trail led to shooting suspect

HOT SPRINGS — The suspected lone gunman who police say shot four people, killing one, Thursday night outside the Hot Springs Convention Center following a graduation ceremony left a trail of blood after being hit by return fire from officers, contributing to his eventual arrest, an affidavit says.

Charles Johnson Jr., 25, who lists a Potter Street address, was taken into custody around 4:15 p.m. Saturday at a local hospital after being treated for his injuries and charged with first-degree murder, punishable by up to life in prison, in connection with the death Michael Jordan, 39, and three counts of first-degree battery, each punishable by up to 20 years, in connection with injuries suffered by three others.

Johnson, who was previously convicted of felony second-degree assault on Dec. 6, 2016, in Weld County, Colo., was also charged with a felony count of possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to 20 years.

Johnson, who lists no prior local criminal history, was booked into the Garland County Detention Center around 6:15 p.m. Saturday and he remained in custody Monday on a $2 million bond. He was set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court for his initial arraignment, but the case will eventually be bound over to Garland County Circuit Court.

According to a probable cause affidavit obtained Monday, Hot Springs police and other agencies, including the Garland County Sheriff’s Office and Arkansas State Police, responded around 9 p.m. Thursday to the area of the Hot Springs Convention Center in connection with a fight.

There was “a very large crowd in and around the convention center” following the Hot Springs World Class High School graduation, which was held at the center from 7 to 9 p.m., according to the affidavit.

As officers were breaking up the fight and dispersing the crowd, body camera footage from police officers reportedly showed a Black male wearing a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt and light-colored shorts walk near five officers, police said.

The male raised a handgun and began firing, first striking a Black male later identified as Jordan, according to the affidavit. The male then began to run away and continued to fire his weapon, police said.

At that point, officers “engaged the male by shooting at him” as he continued to flee on foot, through the crowd and into the rear parking lot of the convention center, according to the affidavit. The suspect was struck by gunfire and left a trail of blood from the initial scene to the back parking lot “near the area where a white SUV was seen leaving the scene.”

Numerous witnesses were interviewed, and all described the shooter as a tall Black male wearing a gray shirt and gray shorts.

During the incident, Jordan was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries. Three others, a male and two females, were also treated at local hospitals for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds they suffered “to their lower extremities,” according to the affidavit.

Johnson, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, was also transported to a local hospital by private vehicle and surveillance video at the hospital reportedly showed him arriving in a white SUV, later identified as a 2011 Kia Sorento, the affidavit says.

Johnson did not have a shirt on when he arrived at the emergency room but was wearing light gray shorts over a darker pair of shorts. The Sorento was located in the parking lot, and a light-colored shirt and blood could be seen inside the vehicle through the windows, police said.

The affidavit notes the clothing “matched what was seen on the bodycam footage as well as what was described by witnesses” at the scene. Warrants for Johnson’s arrest were later prepared and served on him at the hospital.