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TEENAGER SLAIN AT PAWN SHOP

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Friday, August 17, 2007 10:45 PM CDT

The owner of a Pine Bluff pawn shop told police he had shot someone trying to break into his business Thursday night and officers found a 15-year-old male dead at the scene.

Chief Deputy Coroner Chad Kelley pronounced Taron Hopkins, 15, dead at the scene of an apparent gunshot wound to the upper body at 12:15 a.m. Friday, and said his body was sent to the state Medical Examiner’s Office Friday morning for an autopsy.

The death was the 22nd homicide reported in Jefferson County so far this year, and the 13th inside the Pine Bluff city limits.

Police Lt. Bob Rawlinson said at approximately 11:30 p.m. Thursday officers responded to a reported shooting at Chuck Smith Pawn Shop, 3621 W. Sixth Ave.

Rawlinson said Smith reported shooting someone and officers followed Smith through a storage area and an open large rolling door outside the building to a fenced in area where they found the body of Hopkins face down near the fence on the north side.

Smith reported that he was in a small living area at the back of the business lying down when he heard a noise at the back of the building and yanked open the back door.

“He said he saw several individuals standing immediately in front of him,” Rawlinson quoted Smith as saying. “Mr. Smith said one of them had something in his hand, possible a tire iron.”

Rawlinson said Smith reported firing several shots in the direction of that person with a .38-caliber revolver.

“All the subjects fled out the back and into the fenced in area,” Rawlinson said. “At the location where the subjects were reportedly standing, along with other evidence, a tire iron was recovered.”

Rawlinson said no arrests have been made in connection with the incident and the investigation is continuing. Smith was released after being interviewed by detectives.

“We’re going to gather the facts and then present them to the prosecuting attorney to determine whether the shooting was justified or if charges are warranted in this case,” Rawlinson said.

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