Arkadelphian.com : Two dead in Friday shooting

ARKADELPHIA – Authorities remained tight-lipped over the weekend following the shooting death of two people in Arkadelphia late Friday.

At 10:17 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, the Arkadelphia Police Department received a 911 call reporting a robbery and multiple gunshots at Lark Place Apartments. The body of a 16-year-old black male was discovered in the parking lot outside one of the apartment buildings.

A minute later, a second 911 call notified police that a second black male, age 24, had been taken to the emergency room at Baptist Health Medical Center and was also dead. Police say both men were believed to have been involved in the reported robbery.

Arkadelphia Police Chief Jason “Shorty” Jackson said in a press release early Saturday that the incident “continues to be an active investigation” with assistance from the Arkansas State Police and Clark County Sheriff’s Office. “Further information will be disseminated by the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office when it is available,” Jackson said in an email early Saturday.

Asked if there is an at-large suspect involved, Jackson said, “We don’t believe so at this point.”

The Arkadelphian spoke to several residents at neighboring apartments inquiring whether they had witnessed the shootings. However, no one we spoke with said they had heard any gunshots. One female who arrived told us her son called her to tell her about a robbery; he was unharmed in the incident.

Police have identified Quartez “Dada” Burton, of Gurdon, as the 24-year-old victim. There still have been no suspects named in the investigation.