Put the gun down
now at about 12:30 in the afternoon on
July 28th 2019 officers from the Hot
Springs Police Department in Arkansas
received multiple 911 calls about a male
with a shotgun making threats to
civilians in the Hot Springs National
Park Hot Springs 911 what's the address
of your emergency um 362 Central there's
a guy out here on the bench he's
threatening and I don't very
intimidating now he's intimidating
people that are walking by he's big guy
white he's got a beard Gray shirt blue
jeans okay do you know if he's got any
weapons uhoh uhoh uhoh he just got up
he's pulling something out of his pants
lady get somebody down here please he
pull something up out of his pants do
you know what he pulled out no I don't
know if it's a gun or what he is nuts
okay screaming at people on the street
now on the road but he has something
down his pants it's long it's uhoh he's
got a shotgun he's got a shotgun in his
pants okay we've got a number of units
in the area okay I'm going to go ahead
and let you go I've got another caller
on the line okay okay thank you the
suspect has been reported to be walking
South down Central Avenue a very
populated and busy area Hot Springs now
um we are in downtown Hot Springs and
there's a gentleman running down the
sidewalk saying that he's like Secret
Service with a rifle okay we're going to
get somebody out there all right we've
already got offic in the area thank you
man' uhuh multiple other 911 callers
also report that the suspect is
impersonating a secret service agent Hot
Springs 9911 what's the address of your
emergency right here on the Central
Street in Hot Springs there's a man
walking around with a shotgun okay where
exactly where is he located he's in
front of gangster Museum in front of the
gangster Museum there's a cop right next
to him right now okay all right thank
you he's walking he's walking down the
middle of the road okay thank you the
suspect has made his way further south
and the caller mentioned an officer
being next to him that same officer now
activates his body cam hey Put the gun
down Put the gun down now
Put the gun down now Put the gun down
now stop Put the gun
down Put the gun
down drop the
weapon drop the
weapon drop it
now drop the
weapon drop the weapon
[Music]
okay
[Music]
drop let me see your hands are you
[Music]
hereit right before the exchange of
gunshots the suspect turned and raised
his shotgun in the direction of the
officers the officer then began shooting
as it it was clear to him that the
suspect was about to open fire on them
the officer fired approximately 10
gunshots while the suspect shot once
however the suspect fired prematurely
shooting into the ground in which the
shotgun slug he fired broke apart when
it hit the concrete the resulting
shrapnel ricocheted off the ground and
hit the other officer on scene as well
as his K9
unit shot copy we've notified the
amulance it's going to be by the
gangster Museum keep your hand hands
above your head keep them there do not
move your hand all other units switch to
Pursuit all units that aren't downtown
central switch to Pursuit do not move
your hands keep them there do you have
any other
weapons keep your hands where they're at
Hot Springs 911 yeah this is Tom at the
Mountain's Edge at 406 Central Avenue we
gotot fire we've got officers in here
yes sir thank you yes sir Springs 911
yes we are on um I think it's Central
Street not sure we're up here by the
Arlington yes maun we gunshots and
everybody's running what do we need to
do just just stay back where you are
okay can you tell us which way it is so
we know it's not toward the gangster
Museum towards the 500 block it's what
towards the 500 block stay away from
that area okay okay can you tell me a
business that way I'm Not museum I gotta
go man' thank you okay thank
you where at H AR where are you oh yes
we've got officers downtown okay
okay thank you okay we need to cover
contact he's got whatever he's got do
okay if we're going to move up we're
going to move up as group of three all
right I'm on you I'll be contact okay
I'm going to move forward let's move up
as group of three
okay we're going to want to position to
where we got
to keep your hands where they're at
where they're
at okay all right if you want to move
I'll go to go to cover but we need to
have you face his head who what I'm
sorry I'm this man what' you say I'm
gonna go contact y good me facing his
head this side this side this side I
got come over here hey roll on your
stomach roll on your stomach get on your
stomach roll on your
stomach hands behind your back I've got
lethal you get in coming officers get
their first good look at the suspect's
gunshot wounds he was shot numerous
times on the left side of his stomach
and
back my knee I don't know if I got hit
or not are you good I think Smith got
shot behind your back for me we going to
[Applause]
get got shells in his
pocket one two
three okay he's got shells on
[Applause]
his should beine get him get him put car
here where's your car
[Music]
there you go there's a good boy there's
a good
boy do you want to hold on him do you
want to hold on him so I can go over
there to Smith do you want to hold on
him so I can go to Smith I I'm shaking
man up yep I'm back up get everybody
back ran what I don't know what you to
do I'm the one that shot him okay
holster up right here get everybody back
somebody shut that [ __ ] sir off
with the gunman down there's still one
more surprise in store for police as an
entitled woman who says she's being
targeted by the shooter soon attempts to
intervene with the
investigation get that sir shut off and
let's get this traffic moving and get
him out of the way so we can contain
this JT hey JT you're clear on uh 500
Central 500 Central we're clear to go in
okay do we know anything else uh no I
don't we got them we're trying to set up
a PR whenever he's calling
okay dude I'm shaking I can't believe
this just man he turned around and
raised that up towards Smith he he shot
in the
ground man I don't know somebody shot
behind me that scared the crap out of me
after we shot I heard a round go off by
my ear guys we get to move on down
please The
Other
Well ladies and gentlemen step behind
the other police patrol vehicle back the
cross be wonderful conversation my mom
and my wife hey do you not see the crown
seam tape what are you doing y'all just
need to get out of here keep going that
way walk that way you not hear me
go she's got but I'm not tripping and
thinks that they're out I don't think I
know I can prove it sir if you take me
with you I don't want to him I'm sorry
but I'm shaking like I just explain
everything look I'm corpor R they've
beening me since Street I left with no
fuing shoes who look y'all are calling
me out in front of all these fing people
they're going to kill me they were out
here like look you're already out here
in front yeah obviously cuz of him the
[ __ ] are you are you involved with this
dude no I don't I can't see look I had
proof in my phone it's just dying do you
understand but they are staring at me
like some of them when he just fing left
me is dying I just HD off in the visitor
center if you don't believe me you can
go ask them they were going to call you
guys but then we heard that they've been
following me from Henry Street I got in
the water you don't understand the guy
with the gun truth bro what's his name
they all have guns who the [ __ ] I need
to know who um I know only know their
nicknames buns I can show you where they
all live little Al um his real name is
Allan um um D baby Jesus is one of them
I know that sounds crazy but I'm not
[ __ ] crazy it's not drugs either okay
come on
now have a seat right there I'll be
right back hey Hunter
this chick is tweaking her balls off but
like want black yeah sitting up here but
she's saying that she's saying people
are after her with guns and she's naming
off people so I don't know if she's
related somehow to this dude or she was
saying that the people that were
involved were stand they were chucking
like the old guy like like an old man
like so you already talked to her yeah
I'll get her information on her to beat
no all right that that's fine I just
didn't know what was going on with I
didn't know she' talking to anybody
okay you good yeah I'm fine I'm the one
that shot though are you good hey are
you good I'm good I'm not hitting
anywhere I'm just yeah I'm good I'm good
I'm you know are just them two just
these two that I know of you want to sit
in my car uh they told me to stay right
here for now I'm good for now man I
appreciate it
though what happened man we got a call
that he's walking around downtown
yelling at people he said they say that
he's got a shotgun we get here people
are pointing we get out he's got a
shotgun he walks across the street we
say Dr the
weapon up the road a little bit he racks
one shoots into the ground so we're
walking we're saying drop the weapon
drop the weapon drop the weapon he kind
of was turn he racked one and shot it
into the ground yes and then he's we're
sitting here K9 Officer said I have
taser I've got my glock out uh and he
goes he he's walking and and I'm
familiar with the subject he's he's been
very aggressive in the past but I mean
he's walking he's got a shotgun yes he's
got a shotgun he's walking he turns he
turns around and lifted it up like this
didn't point it directly at us that I he
was coming around he's coming around
raising it like this and so I shot him
hey hey hey you're good you're good hey
look stand up look at all these people
here yeah look at all these people here
yeah you just saved the lives of all
these people okay what if one of those
shotgun pellets would have gone and hit
that person over there yeah you did your
job okay he turned and he turned and
came up like this you're good you're
good you gave him commands didn't comply
you had to save these people and
yourself yeah I appreciate it you're
good I'm just got to let it in breather
if you want to go sit down somewhere
else R can yeah I'm good for now I'll
talk to them I appreciate it man okay
hey thank you if you need hey you're
good
good they're checking him out now and
this down
here he we get out there people are
pointing at him sir we get out with him
he starts walking he walks across
central on this to this side he we say
drop the weapon he shoots the shotgun
into the ground so me and Smith come up
we're walking down the sidewalk this way
I have my glock pointed at him Smith
says I have taser we're walking and he's
he's already shot one yeah in the ground
in ground and we keep saying drop the
weapon drop the weapon drop the weapon
he turned around like this and lifted
that we're back here he turns like this
and once it got to like right here I
don't know how many rounds I put in him
sir I don't know how many rounds I shot
but he turns like this and I shot
okay all right well uh you had your body
cam on yes sir yes sir I don't know if
my unit cam activated or not it didn't
but my unit cam doesn't have anything I
have my body cam on the whole time who
who moved the gun any I don't think we
did it dropped right there think he
dropped it I picked it up and
clear do you want to hold on do you want
to hold on him so I can go over there to
Smith I'm going to go see if Smith's
okay real quick I just want to talk to
you man cuz we're with it based on
triage protocol a set of guidelines that
helps Medics determine how to allocate
medical resources the suspect had to be
treated and transported first before the
injured officer could be transported
hey are you good buddy yes sir thank you
very much man I appreciate that you okay
yeah I mean I'm just letting this all
sink in man he turned around and once he
raised it in your general
direction I didn't get hit but my knee
hurt some sh hey stand up here stand on
this yeah are you hit anywhere I don't I
don't think so man I don't know right
now you probably be feeling it now yeah
I would be I don't think I'm hit I just
I don't know I think I I don't know what
happened when he shot man I duck behind
that tree I don't know if I hurt my knee
or what and we cuz I we saw him right
here and we crossed over he shot in the
in the median though like he shot right
here on the ground no right I mean this
thing I'm sorry he points at the ground
and Pops one off into the ground right
here there shells there yeah I don't I
don't know now I'm trying to recollect
myself uh right here it's right here
where where was the other he said he
shot twice he shot at us the second time
and that's when you shot I shot no I so
I shot before he shot at us because he's
walking we start walking for drop the
weapon drop the weapon he doesn't he
turns like this with the gun and once he
got to about right here that's when I
shot okay and then after that he said I
don't know he said or something then he
turned around and shot but when I shot
he went I think he went down and then
came back around and then he popped one
off in our Direction which is hit that
other off
right yeah and I'm just letting it sink
in that what just happen yeah okay he
shot the first time then he unad he
takes that first shell out right there I
I believe so yes sir he shot we we walk
this direction we say drop the weapon he
goes nope pops one to the ground that's
when we he starts walking I start
following him this way we're saying drop
the weapon drop the weapon he doesn't do
it Smith is to my left he says I've got
taser I say okay we start kind of
advancing closer to him thinking we're
going to ATT the taser and he does like
this he's walking like this he turns he
brings the shotgun up to about here
that's when I shoot and then I think I
think he after I shoot he turns like
this and then turns around and Pops one
off in our Direction I think that's when
he shot Smith want to have a seat right
here that way I kind of know yes sir oh
God my knee hurt
you yeah I'm
fine I think I'm okay my knee I don't
know okay I think it's fine it just
hurts I think when he when he turned
right before I shot I went yeah yeah
just taking man
it's I don't think no the other officer
got shot in the leg right here though I
saw
that the suspect 31-year-old Jonathan
Allen Scott now 36 years old in present
day was transported to a hospital and
eventually recovered from his injuries
he was arrested for his actions later
the same day after being treated for his
wounds the officer in his K9 unit named
bear who were both hit also made a full
recovery from their injuries in regards
to the officers the chief of the Hot
Springs Police Department stated their
well-being is very important to us
because they have suffered a traumatic
event it's important for us to provide
assistance to them for their well-being
all officers involved in the shooting
had been placed on administrative leave
with pay while awaiting the outcome of
the shooting investigation and an
administrative investigation the chief
said it's standard Department policy for
incidents like this the panicking woman
who thought she was being targeted after
hearing the gunshots was found to not be
connected to the situation Scott's
criminal history involves numerous prior
arrests dating all the way back to 2006
when he was 18 years old the charges for
these arrests include misdemeanors like
Criminal Trespass harassment theft of
prop property and various traffic
violations one of these arrests was
extremely close to the shooting dating
only 3 weeks prior for this particular
previous arrest Scott was charged with
public intoxication and was sentenced to
30 days of probation the court
recommended he seek mental health
treatment in response to that case this
combined with his comments about being a
secret service agent as well as reports
about him quietly murmuring to himself
the day of the shooting indicates Scott
has various mental health issues anybody
walking down the street pumping a
shotgun with in a tourist area you know
have some uh have some issues you know
he needed help and I guess he couldn't
get it he was pretty sad James
Sutherland suspects Scott's mental
well-being was suffering he says
Granny's Kitchen a few doors down tried
helping the suspect in an attempt to
stop him from yelling at those passing
by he they gave him breakfast you know
being nice to him he threw it on the
ground and he said well you call the
police on me I'm the Secret Service and
then he starts wh at his gun Larry Ryan
a man who runs a shop right across the
street from the shooting location voiced
his main concern he said I'm not against
weapons at all my concern is where
somebody like that would get a weapon
the case was investigated by the
Arkansas State Police the FBI and
special agents with the ATF Scott was
later indicted by a Federal grand jury
in April 2019 on charges including
assault resulting in serious bodily
injury and assault with intent to do
bodily harm on November 27th 2023 The
Honorable chief judge Susan o hickey
sentenced Scott to 20 years in federal
prison on both counts he is currently
serving out his sentence and will be
nearing 60 years old when he has
completed serving his time in 2043 now
this is something that no officer wants
to experience when police officers go
into the police academy a lot of
thoughts are going through your mind
you're excited you're nervous and many
officers may not want to admit it but
part of you is afraid because deep
inside your mind you know the
possibility of what could happen over 20
years ago I'm working with my partner
and we respond to back up a fellow
officer who was investigating a male in
the highway so we pull up and it seemed
to happen in a millisecond after a brief
struggle with the mail he took out a
pistol pointed at my coworker's head and
pulled the trigger and to this day I
still don't know how he missed so I
quickly Park and we exit the car guns in
hand making our way towards the mail and
by this time he's running up the street
while looking behind him and shooting at
us now thankfully other officers arrived
in location was able to take the suspect
down cuz I didn't have the opportunity
to return fire due to my back stop not
being cleared now what back stop is what
is beyond your Target and in this
situation there were many houses behind
the suspect when an officer has to fire
his or her weapon they can't just think
about the target they must think about
what is beyond the target but thankfully
the suspect went to prison and not one
officer was injured that night now today
we have a case at a Hot Springs Arkansas
a Mel in a heavily populated area and he
has a firearm now numerous calls are
coming into the 911 call center and when
this happens the dispatcher and the
officers know that it's probably a
founded call and in this case it is now
the officer locates the mail and engages
with him along with a 9 officer by
ordering him to drop the weapon numerous
times however the male continues to walk
away ignoring the commands of the
officer then the suspect makes the
mistake of turning with the firearm in
his hand raising the weapon towards the
officer and simultaneously the officer
fired at the suspect incapacitating now
most officers never have to fire their
weapon during their career and in fact
only about 27% of all officers say
they've ever fired their service weapon
while on the job but you just never know
if it's going to be you and when an
officer fires the weapon they're
responsible for every bullet that comes
out of it that's all I have for today
guys remember to be safe and I'll see
you on the next one