COTTON PLANT, Ark. – A prosecutor has ruled that a Woodruff County Sheriff’s Office deputy was justified in the use of force following the shooting of a suspect in August.

The ruling comes following an incident on Aug. 7 in which deputies responded to an assault call at a home on Woodruff County Road 639 near Cotton Plant that left a victim being transported to a Little Rock hospital for additional treatment.

Officials said that as deputies worked to secure the scene and locate the suspect, identified as 36-year-old Thomas Dixon, he walked out of the home and towards a deputy.

Authorities said that Dixon would not listen to their commands to get on the ground, leading the deputy to shoot him as he continued approaching. Dixon was airlifted to UAMS for medical care.

Deputy Prosecuting A

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