A Van Buren man was hospitalized Friday night after police say he was attacked by three men who tried to sell him drugs at the Central Mall in Fort Smith.
Police and emergency crews responded to 5111 Rogers Avenue at 8:11 p.m. in reference to a victim who was spitting blood after being beaten up. William Luke Harwood was transported to a nearby hospital, where his father told police he sustained a concussion, according to an incident report released by the Fort Smith Police Department.
The victim’s girlfriend told police he was supposed to meet her at the mall food court. When she got to the food court, Harwood’s face was bloody and he showed signs of injury, she allegedly told police.
She notified mall security of her boyfriend’s condition, after which Harwood told her three black males came up to him as he was getting out of his 2006 red Chevrolet Corvette, according to the incident report. The men asked Harwood if he wanted to buy marijuana. When he replied no, the three men jumped him and he was knocked out, he told his girlfriend.
When Harwood regained consciousness, he was lying on the sidewalk, he told his girlfriend, the incident report states.
Police asked Harwood what happened, and he said he did not remember anything, according to the report. When interviewed again later by two members of Fort Smith police, Harwood again said he could not remember the events of the day, but believed he was knocked out.
The man’s father told police his son had never been in trouble before and had never used drugs, the report states. The father was asked to call police if his son could remember anything.
