Store clerk charged with shooting customer
A convenience store clerk was arrested Wednesday morning after allegedly shooting a customer inside the business on South Washington.
Bassam Alnajjr, 31, whose address is shown as Brooklyn, N.Y., on the report at the Forrest City Police Department, is charged with first-degree battery, aggravated assault or accomplice to, theft by receiving and discharging a firearm within the city limits in connection with the shooting.
According to police, the 9mm weapon used in the shooting and recovered at the scene, was reportedly stolen.
Police identified the victim as Richard Cyle Barnes, 21, 134 SFC 718, Forrest City.
According to the report, Cheryl Barnes, the victim’s mother, called the police department to report the shooting as she was driving her son to Forrest City Medical Center, where she was met by officers who were already at the hospital working a separate incident.
She told officers that her son entered the store and “not even two minutes later” she heard a loud gunshot and saw him running out of the store screaming he had been shot.
At the hospital, Barnes told officers he was carrying four sodas when he dropped one and Alnajjr pulled out a gun and pointed it at him. Barnes said he and Alnajjr then exchanged words before he was shot.
Barnes was shot in the front
(Continued from Page 1) of his upper right arm with the bullet exiting through the back of his arm, according to the report. He was transferred to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis.
FCPD Chief Deon Lee said officers recovered video from inside the store that shows the shooting as it was taking place.