A man accused of capital murder in Monday's shooting of a Pine Bluff police detective was ordered to be held without bail during a brief probable-cause hearing Wednesday morning.
Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth granted a prosecutor's request and found there was probable cause to detain Keshone Quantarious Smith, 19, of Pine Bluff on the murder charge after the shootout at an Econo Lodge motel.
Detective Kevin Collins, 35, was shot and later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the Arkansas State Police. Lt. Ralph Isaac, 42, was hospitalized for a gunshot wound. A spokesman for the Police Department said Tuesday that Isaac had been released from the hospital and is expected to fully recover.
During the hearing, which was held by teleconference, Jefferson County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jill Reed asked the judge to hold Smith based on the affidavit of a special agent with the state police.
Reading from the affidavit, Reed said Pine Bluff officers arrived at the Econo Lodge searching for Smith, who was wanted on felony warrants.
"During the course of the arrest, Keshone Smith fired his weapon at the officers. Officers then returned fire," Reed said.
In response to a question from Bridgforth, Reed confirmed that Smith was responsible for firing on officers, but did not elaborate on how the shooting at the motel transpired.
Smith appeared on video from the Jefferson County jail, where he has been held since Monday. When Bridgforth asked Smith if he planned to hire an attorney, he said yes and then asked to address the court.
Bridgforth said he could, but reminded Smith that he did not have a lawyer with him and anything he said could be used against him.
Smith said he had "one sentence." There were three people who "witnessed the whole thing," and all the court would have to do is subpoena them, Smith said.
After confirming Smith had a lawyer whom he intends to hire, the judge then excused him. Smith's next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 18.
Over the summer, authorities in Conyers, Ga., sought to arrest Smith on felony murder and robbery charges regarding a shooting at an apartment building June 15. Authorities said two other people were involved.
Police in Conyers believed Smith may have returned to the Pine Bluff area, where he is a resident, after the shooting death of Money White Jr., 23. However, authorities in Arkansas have not said whether Pine Bluff police were seeking to arrest Smith on Monday specifically because of the shooting in Georgia.
The state police agency is leading the investigation into Monday's shooting in Pine Bluff, according to a spokesman for the agency.
According to an arrest report provided by the Jefferson County sheriff's office, another individual was arrested in Pine Bluff on Monday, several hours after Smith, and is being held in the county jail for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Jalyn McKinley Scott, 21, faces federal charges of possession of an unregistered firearm and possession of a machine gun, according to the report.
It's unclear whether Scott was arrested as a part of the same operation that led officers to the Econo Lodge.
The report states that Scott was arrested at 13th Avenue and Myrtle Street. A report pertaining to Smith states that he was arrested at the motel at 210 N. Blake St.
When asked if there is any connection between the arrests of Scott and Smith, state police spokesman Bill Sadler declined to say.
Sadler wrote in an email that "consistent with our internal practices related to active criminal investigations we do not disclose the identities of suspects or persons who may be directly or indirectly linked to a homicide case until a criminal affidavit has been signed formally charging a suspect or the investigative case file is subject to release under the provisions of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act."