CAMDEN — By TAMMY FRAZIER
Managing editor
With the help of the U.S. Marshal’s office, a suspect who tried to fire a rifle at a Camden Police Department officer was arrested Tuesday.
According to an incident report, CPD Officer Jacob VanAssche was attempting to arrest Sean Terell Alexander, 33, on May 13 on a warrant based on the report that Alexander had pulled a handgun on a person at a residence on Dunning Street after a fight. The warrant was for aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by certain persons.
On June 2, the police department received information that Alexander was in a Nissan vehicle at a residence on Dunning Street. VanAssche arrived at the scene and reported that he noticed the vehicle leaving the area. He tried to stop the vehicle, but was unable to, so a pursuit ensued.
During the pursuit, VanAssche reported that he noticed Alexander flee from the vehicle which a scoped M-4-style rifle.
“VanAssche pursued Alexander on foot into a wooded area, at which point Alexander pointed the rifle at Officer VanAssche,” according to the incident report. “After seeing the rifle being pointed at him, he (VanAssche) went for cover and then noticed Alexander fleeing further into the woods. Officer VanAssche was unable to locate Alexander, but he did recover the rifle.”
VanAssche recovered the weapon and upon inspection, saw that the “round located inside the barrel had misfired,” the report states. He stated that he thought he heard a “click” as if Alexander had fired the rifle at him. VanAssche stated that he believes Alexander thought the rifle had malfunctioned, dropped the rifle and fled the scene.
“The guy had the wrong bullets in the gun,” Woody told the Camden News. “He did pull the trigger and it (the bullet) dented the back of the case, but it didn’t have enough force to make it through (the gun.) And it was an AR-15-type gun.”
An AR-15 is a lightweight semi-automatic assault rifle, according to several internet sources.
“VanAssche said that at first, he (Alexander) took off running, but then turned around and got down on one knee to steady his aim and when he pulled the trigger, it just wouldn’t go off,” stated Woody.
After the incident, CPD Capt. John Voss requested the assistant of the U.S. Marshal Service to help locate Alexander, Voss says in a statement.
“The Camden Police Department was concerned Alexander would cause injuries to innocent citizens or (an) officer trying to arrest him on the active felony warrants,” said Voss in the report.
Woody shared that when members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrived in Camden, they were able to use a device to help ‘ping’ Alexander’s cell phone and determine where he was.
At around noon on Tuesday, June 12, CPD and the U.S. Marshals took Alexander into custody at a home on Duncan Street without incident, according to the incident report.
Alexander has been booked into the Ouachita County Detention Center. Adding to the previous charges, Alexander has now also been charged with third-degree battery.