Hatchet-wielding man shot, killed at Ark. jail - AP

A A A' Sheriff's deputies shot and killed a man who walked into a county jail wielding a hatchet and knives early Monday and demanded the inmates be released, authorities said.

[backwoods bucko]

Only in Arkansas = hatchets? You get this stuff from a movie?

[not too pleased]

No matter how many times I read this story...This boy did NOT have to die! I think that too many others out there have to agree, but wont stand up and say so! I grew up in this court house! I respect each and every one of these officers! I also knew this boy and I can think of many ways you guys could have taken him down. I also think your tasers could have taken him down (did you not use them properly) or some pepper spray or a bullet to the leg. This wasnt his first time in trouble. Didnt somebody know he had mental problems? I am so disappointed in the Mena police department!

[hsblues]

yes this is very sad!!! I feel so sorry for his parents.......I have been thru this my self.

[Anonymous]

Heres another one for the wonderful polk county arkansas, I suggest a protest.

[anonymous]

They knew he had mental problems. Whenever the police in Polk county get to fire their guns, they shoot to kill. I would be interested in how many times this boy was shot. Why did we not just shoot him in the leg, or shoulder? I actually heard he was shot in the head and chest. I also had met this boy and he really was a boy, not a man even at 23 years old. I knew he has problems after a few minutes hearing him speak. Very sad and I really feel for his family.

[arkansas]

I feel like the boy did not have to be killed. I feel like they could have knocked the hacket out of the boy's hand. There is more going on in polk county that people don't know about. There are some officers that are bully's themselves.Just because they wear a badge they can treat people anyway they want to and get by with it. I think that polk county needs to have the FBI check them out.

[arkansas]

to the person at Little Rock that wanted to know how many tims that Chris was shot . My son lives in polk county and knew chris. And heard from people he works with that each officer shot 3 times .Which makes a total of 9 times.

[Arkansas]

We all feel like this could of been avoided. I just don't know why people don't stand up and complain to someone that could do something about it. I think if enough people made the complaints that maybe the FBI or someone would look into it. I'm not saying that anything would be done but it wouldn't hurt to try. There are a lot of people really upset that this happened and I am curious as to what is really on the video tape and how it all went down. I totally agree, they should of shot him in the leg or disabled him somehow, he did not have to be killed. Unfortunately, the younger generation in Polk County are being harassed even if they are just walking down the road, they have been stopped and searched for no reason at all. Hopefully some light will be shed on all of this and something will be done about it.

[concerned]

I also agree that 9 times is over doing it. They had time to think about it because of the time awaiting the taser cop. Its not good, the ArKansas state police with just agree with Mena, we need the feds on this case

[dred scott 2]

The other mena forum seems to think the boy had it coming. Interesting to see two threads and forums so different.

[idk]

I know for a fact that he had a pacemaker, so if the would have tasered him then most likely his heart would have stopped. I don't believe there is any truth to what the police are saying that happened. I do hope that the FBI gets involved because something needs to be done to stop this nonsense. I pray for his family and loved ones.

[Jeff Barea]

I hope the guy who got killed was Scott Covington because then this serial killer will finally meet justics

[Just D Facts]

I suggest before some of you idiots speak know what you are talking about. The taser will not affect pacemakers. Countless studies have proven this. Check out taser.com for more information. Secondly, if someone comes at you with a knife or such would you just shoot them in the leg. People get shot numerous times and continue to fight. These Officer's/Deputies did exactly what they should have done. Ended the threat. Shoot him in the leg or shoulder? You are kidding me. This doesn't stop the guy from charging the officer and stabbing them or potentially killing them. Since they are so bad here is some advice for you, next time you are a victim of a crime, don't call them. Hopefully one day you wont have to face a similiar incident, because if you do, and you shoot them in the leg or shoulder, there is a high chance that you too will pay a visit to the hospital that night.

[Just D Facts]

It is quite obvious that many of you never attended the school of common sense! Im betting the average IQ for those people who commented before my 2 posts is 50. These cops did what they had to do, which was the right thing, to protect you, the public, and themselves. Im guessing those that say otherwise have had their own run ins with the law and are just upset that they are criminals.

[Sad for them all]

Knew him. Know his mother(very sweet and compassionate) He won tomahawk tournaments. He had a heart problems all his life. Defibrilator and Pacemaker as a kid. The Defib was removed i believe but the pacemaker stayed. hmmmmm. Taser not working after two attempts? To a heart patient... really? But what do we know. We weren't there. They were confined to a small area with little time to think. I heard one of the officers is soo devastated he refuses to even work again. I heard All officers(not just Mena) are trained that a dead man is easier to fix than a wounded one. Wounded men cost more. Sad for all.

[USMC]

For all you morons on here bashing the cops, the whole incident was caught on 2 different videos. Taser camera/audio and lobby security camera. Feds and state have cleared the officers of wrongdoing. I ,too, know the family (not the boy). I feel for them. But they knew he had problems and did not get him help. He told his uncle, hours before the shooting , he wanted to go kill people. Uncle made him leave but did not report it to police.

[USMC]

All 4 officers are back at work and doing fine. Talked to 1 of them yesterday. My heart goes out to them and their families. It's bad enough they have to kill someone to protect themselves, but to then have idiots that know nothing about shooting trash them on the forums is repulsive.

[Did you know]

USMC wrote:

All 4 officers are back at work and doing fine. Talked to 1 of them yesterday. My heart goes out to them and their families. It's bad enough they have to kill someone to protect themselves, but to then have idiots that know nothing about shooting trash them on the forums is repulsive.

I can see that. It only takes one bad cop to make the whole dept look bad and cause the public to distrust. You hear of so much corruption these days it is just hard to know sometimes. I really don't think we have corruption today in Mena as there has been in the past. I believe we have a good team now.

[care]

My prayers go out to all Lawenforcement and families its getting more dangerous out there, police officers have been shot and killed almost every week latley, my husband is in lawenforcement I pray each day he leaves for work for God to return him home you never know what can happen so everyone try to keep us all in your prayers as well.

[idk]

Just D Facts wrote:

I suggest before some of you idiots speak know what you are talking about. The taser will not affect pacemakers. Countless studies have proven this. Check out taser.com for more information. Secondly, if someone comes at you with a knife or such would you just shoot them in the leg. People get shot numerous times and continue to fight. These Officer's/Deputies did exactly what they should have done. Ended the threat. Shoot him in the leg or shoulder? You are kidding me. This doesn't stop the guy from charging the officer and stabbing them or potentially killing them. Since they are so bad here is some advice for you, next time you are a victim of a crime, don't call them. Hopefully one day you wont have to face a similiar incident, because if you do, and you shoot them in the leg or shoulder, there is a high chance that you too will pay a visit to the hospital that night.

First of all, don't call me idiot. And secondly, just because you think you are one of those people who know it all doesn't mean you do. You don't think that 3 police officers could have taken down one "boy"? I guess they just had to shoot him to show how stupid and cowardly they really were. Yeah it was caught on two cameras, but the police department refused to release the vidoes to the FBI until they were made. And next time before you post something so stupid, think about if it was one of your close relatives. I bet you would have rather them been shot in the legs or arms multiple times than killed.