Corey Pitts of Pine Bluff is the latest victim in a spree of homicides that have occurred in the past 36 hours.
Pine Bluff police are investigating three shootings that have left three people dead and several injured.
The most recent incident happened Monday night. Pine Bluff police responded to a call about a shooting in the 2819 South Poplar Street. Upon their arrival, they found 26-year-old Pitts (shown in photo) lying in the street, according to a Pine Bluff Police Department (PBPD) news release. Pitts was unresponsive when found and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Jefferson County Coroner Chad Kelley said that Pitts died at Jefferson Regional Medical Center (JRMC) at around 11 p.m. after suffering from a gunshot wound.
The series of violence began at approximately 10:16 a.m. Sunday when Pine Bluff police responded to the area of 19th Avenue and Amis Street pertaining to a shooting.
When they arrived, officers found a male victim in a yard who had received several gunshot wounds, the news release said. The victim, identified by Kelley as 29-year-old Ramon Buckhanan, was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries shortly after going into surgery.
“At this time, it appears three or four male subjects walked up from 18th Avenue and at least one of them began firing at the victim,” the news release said. “They then fled on foot going east on 18th Avenue. A motive is unknown at this time.”
Then on Monday at about 1 a.m., officers responded to the area of 34th Avenue and Fir Streets in reference to shots fired in the area.
Officers arrived and found multiple people with gunshot wounds. One of the victims, Antonio Brown, 36, was dead on scene, according to Kelley. Two victims with gunshot wounds left the scene and transported themselves to an undisclosed hospital in Little Rock. The fourth victim was transported by ambulance to JRMC in Pine Bluff with serious but not life-threatening injuries.
“Based on information gathered to this point, a vehicle approached the house and an occupant opened fire on victims that were outside,” the news release said. “The investigation is in its early stages and detectives are conducting interviews.”
In an updated news release provided to Deltaplex News, PBPD stated that Pitts went to the residence of Jamaine Shepherd on Monday night and an argument began. That argument led to a physical fight between the two within the home. During the fight Shepherd fired a single shot that struck Pitts, inflicting a fatal wound. Shepherd surrendered himself and the weapon to police without incident and cooperated with the investigation.
Witnesses who were present when the incident occurred, along with Shepherd, were interviewed by detectives. A representative of the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office was present in the interviews as well, according to the news release. After the interviews were conducted, Shepherd was released pending the filing of the case file with the prosecutor.
A final decision on whether criminal charges are warranted will be made by the prosecutor’s office once the completed case file is reviewed. At this time, the facts of this case indicate self defense which may be considered in the final decision.
Police have not said whether all three homicides are related.
Anyone with information about either incident is asked to contact the Detective Division at 870.730.2090 or dispatch at 870.541.5300. Information can also be shared via Facebook and Text-a-Tip using the contact information listed below. This is the 15th homicide for Pine Bluff in 2018.
Facebook- [email protected]
Text-a-Tip-274637 Keyword: PBPD
