16 - Opinion on Local News - Isaiah Calvert

 

The Pulaski County Circuit Court has ruled that former Little Rock police officer Charles Starks is owed more than $70,000 in backpay and benefits following his firing after the 2019 fatal shooting of Bradley Blackshire.-

This ruling follows the earlier settlement between the family of Bradley Blackshire and the City of Little Rock. Blackshire, age 29, was fatally shot by Starks in February 2019 during a traffic stop involving a stolen vehicle. His death prompted significant public backlash and protests throughout the city. Although a prosecutor ultimately ruled the shooting justified, Starks was fired from the department shortly afterward. A judge ordered his reinstatement in early 2020, but he resigned later that same year.

According to testimony reviewed in the case, Starks said he observed Blackshire reach to put the vehicle into gear and then reach down toward an area he could not see—actions that led Starks to believe Blackshire might be reaching for a gun. As Starks backed away and issued commands, Blackshire attempted to flee and struck Starks with the vehicle, injuring his knee. Starks fired several initial shots before the vehicle paused and then moved forward again, pushing Starks onto the hood. From there, he fired an additional series of rounds. Blackshire died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. (Arkansas Times)

While I believe the shooting itself was ultimately justified based on the circumstances described, it’s also clear that this situation did not have to escalate the way it did. Officer Starks made a series of decisions that contributed to the danger of the moment, and those choices matter just as much as the final outcome.

According to the LRPD’s internal findings, Starks voluntarily violated LRPD General Order 303.II.E.2, which prohibits officers from positioning themselves directly in front of a moving or potentially moving vehicle when deadly force may become necessary. In other words, the department concluded that "Starks put himself in harm’s way in a manner that created the conditions for a deadly force encounter."

That detail is important. It shows that even though Starks believed Blackshire was reaching for a gun — and even though Blackshire struck him with the vehicle while fleeing — the officer’s own decision to approach the car in an aggressive, forward-facing way increased the risk to both himself and the suspect.

And that’s the point I want to emphasize.

Had Officer Starks followed department policy and maintained safer positioning, it’s possible this entire confrontation might have unfolded differently. Blackshire might still have attempted to flee, but Starks may not have ended up in the direct path of the vehicle. He may not have ended up on the hood. The entire exchange might never have occurred.

This case should serve as a reminder that good policing isn’t just about reacting correctly in a split second. It’s about following training, avoiding unnecessary risks, and not creating situations where deadly force becomes the only option left.

(THV11 News Video)

(Shooting Video)