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3 honored for actions in Tyson shooting

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 9:52 AM CST

Two Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies and a Pine Bluff police officer were awarded the Medal of Honor on Tuesday for their actions during a shooting at the Tyson Foods plant on Jefferson Parkway last year.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Yohance Brunson and Cpl. David Wheeler, and police officer Aaron Blanton received the awards from the Arkansas Sheriff’s Association during the association’s meeting at Little Rock.

Brunson, Wheeler and Blanton were among other officers who were called to a reported shooting inside the Tyson plant, and while searching the building, confronted a Pine Bluff man who had allegedly shot an employee at Tyson, then shot the man multiple times after he reportedly pointed two pistols at them.

“I’m very proud of the fact that two officers from our department exemplified what courage is all about, going far beyond the call of duty to keep Jefferson County safe,” Sheriff Gerald Robinson said. “I’m also proud the association awarded the Medal of Honor to Officer Blanton and it’s just another example of the cooperation that exists between law enforcement agencies in this county.”

Investigators said Julian English had been suspended and was escorted out of the plant, then returned with two handguns and shot Ronny Smith of Pine Bluff before going to another part of the building where police and deputies confronted him.

After the shooting, Brunson, Wheeler and Blanton were placed on administrative leave with pay and returned to duty after Prosecuting Attorney Steve Dalrymple decided the officers were justified in the use of deadly force.

“The courageous actions of the officers protected the lives of employees at Tyson, as well as the lives of other law enforcement officers responding to the scene,” Dalrymple said in letters to the sheriff and chief of police on April 24.

English was taken to a Little Rock hospital for treatment and has since been released. Smith was treated and released at Jefferson Regional Medical Center.

On June 15, Dalrymple charged English with one count of attempted first-degree murder and five counts of aggravated assault in connection with the incident.

If convicted of attempted first-degree murder, English could be sentenced to between six and 30 years in prison. Aggravated assault is punishable by up to six years in prison on each count.

No trial date has been set as yet for English.

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