From Kristen Wilson and Matthew Mershon, KATV.com
April 20, 2018
Little Rock police are investigating after a 14-year-old girl was shot with an arrow in Allsopp Park on Friday night.
According to the girl’s father, the family was playing soccer at the park when the teenager was shot in the leg. The father declined to do an on-camera interview with KATV, but described the injury saying that a crossbow arrow that appears to be for deer hunting pierced the front of her leg, went through her shin and poked out through the back of her leg. The girl’s brother was standing right next to her when she was shot, according to the father.
Officer Steve Moore, public information officer for Little Rock Police said investigators don’t think the girl or any park patrons were the intended target of the arrow; rather they believe it was likely a freak accident.
“We’re going with right now that either ‘A’ somebody was hunting and missed their target or ‘B’, was doing target practice or something like that and missed the target also,” said Moore.
Moore said he recalls in the past responding to several deer-related car accidents on Cedar Hill Road, right next to Allsopp Park, concluding the hunting scenario is plausible and obviously dangerous and illegal.
“It is illegal to hunt in the city limits and for that matter across most of the state since it isn’t deer season,” said Moore.
According to a police report, a good Samaritan came to apply pressure to the wound by using his belt to stop the bleeding. Police reportedly searched the area for a possible shooter, but no suspects have been identified. Police say that person or persons may face a charge of first-degree battery.