Eureka Springs police chief Billy Floyd has not received an update or a timeline on an Arkansas State Police investigation into an officer- involved shooting that left a local man dead, Floyd said Wednesday, March 13.
“I couldn’t tell you whether they’re finished up or not,” Floyd said. “I’ve kind of just left them to do it at their own pace. They had a lot of people to interview. Tracking down witnesses can take some time. I know that everybody involved wants it to be finished as quickly as possible, but as thoroughly as possible as well. The general public needs to be notified, and everybody wants that to happen. But at the same time, we also have to be very thorough, and try and not miss anything along the way.”
Two Eureka Springs officers are on paid administrative leave, which Floyd said is standard procedure, after the March 1 shooting on Spring Street. Floyd did not identify the officers.
According to a news release from the Arkansas State Police, the incident began when dispatchers with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call on Friday, March 1, from the Rowdy Beaver Den at 47 Spring St. in Eureka Springs. The caller reported that Christopher VanSchoick, 36, had a brandished a handgun during a disturbance, according to the news release.
Two Eureka Springs Police Department officers arrived at the location and observed Van-Schoick sitting in his vehicle on the street near the Rowdy Beaver Den, the release says. The officers confronted VanSchoick, and a struggle ensued, according to the release.
“VanSchoick produced a handgun, and one of the officers fired his weapon, striking VanSchoick,” the release says.
VanSchoick was pronounced dead by the Carroll County coroner’s office. His body was transferred to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to determine the cause and manner of death.
The ASP will present an investigative case file to the prosecuting attorney, who will determine whether the use of deadly force was consistent with Arkansas law.
An obituary for Van-Schoick identified him as a Eureka Springs resident. A funeral service for VanSchoick was held Wednesday morning.
Floyd praised the community for its response to the shooting.
“The continued support from the community has been very encouraging, with them not necessarily taking a side on it but being a good community and being supportive and not trying to create division,” Floyd said.
The fatal shooting was the first involving a Eureka Springs police officer since June 21, 1973, when then-police chief Leroy Weems fatally wounded a man after a traffic stop at the corner of Spring and Pine streets.
