LOWELL, Ark. (KFSM) — A Lowell man died after being shot by a deputy during a standoff that began with officers trying to serve arrest warrants.
According to Sgt. Shannon Jenkins with the Benton County Sheriff's Office, the Lowell Police Department and the Arkansas State Parole Office weren't able to contact 31-year-old Charles "Chase" Nation over the weekend. Nation was on parole with multiple warrants for his arrest.
Nation barricaded himself inside a mobile home as law enforcement officers tried to serve his warrants.
Benton County SWAT and negotiation teams were called to the scene about 1 p.m. Monday (Sept. 23).
Law enforcement officers later tried to enter the home, but an armed Nation refused to surrender. His actions led to him being shot, according to Jenkins.
Nation was transported to an area hospital and was later pronounced dead.
Lori Brewster was one of the only residents inside the mobile home park where Nation barricaded himself. She lives just feet from his home and didn't realize the severity of the situation until she saw SWAT and police surrounding the house.
"We were in our bedroom which is directly to the back of his trailer... and I heard a boom boom," Brewster said.
Brewster says at the time she did not realize the sound she heard was gunshots, but she says the whole place went silent after that.
She says Nation was new to the neighborhood but she now sees why his behavior was out of the ordinary the last few days.
"The behavior that we saw was not that odd and the oddness came within the last couple of days where he was knocking on doors and the yelling about stuff," Brewster said.
Brewster says she wonders if there was anything she could have done to help Nation.
"After the fact, you start thinking about things that you could have done or you should have done or maybe we could have helped, but in the long run, I don’t think anyone would have let us anywhere near it," Brewster said.
Per policy, the deputy who shot Nation has been placed on administrative leave until further notice, according to Jenkins.
Officers originally blocked off the entrance to the Speedy Splash in Lowell due to the incident.
Arkansas State Police will be conducting an investigation with the Benton County Sheriff's Office and Lowell Police Department.
