in Shoot-out at McDougal
Details of the incident, as related to the newspaper by Chief Smith, are: At about 3:30 last Thursday morning Grissom's daughter and her husband, Mr. & Mrs. Ramey Kilbreath of McDougal came to the City of Corning Police Station and told the officer on duty that her father had gone to their home earlier in the night, had forced entry and threatened to kill them. they requested that a warrant be issued for his arrest, charging him with assault with intent to kill.
Dispatcher Earl Crego contacted Chief of Police Ed Smith who was working on another case and Smith advised him to contact the Piggott Police Department and have them contact Sherriff Batey by telephone. Sheriff Batey called here and talked with Mrs. Kilbreath, then notified Deputy Key to be ready for him to pick up in a short time, to accompany him to the Grissom home. The Corning Police Department notified Deputy Archer, who resided at Route One, Corning, and he met Sheriff Batey and Deputy Key at McDougal at approximately five o'clock and the three officers, all travelling in Batey's car, drove to Grissom home with the warrant.
Deputy Troy Key apparently got out of the car to serve the warrant when Grissom, without warning, opened fire on him with a pump shotgun. Archer radioed for police assistance and an ambulance and as soon as Smith got the message he notified Russell-Ermert Funeral Home for an ambulance. Enroute to McDougal he advised via radio for the two City of Corning units to take one city patrol car to the residence of Officer Gene Smith and for the two officers (Ed Chandler and Freddie Grayson) to follow him to McDougal, which they did, arriving about ten minutes behind Smith. Officers said they believe the shotgun was fired from a doorway off the carport and from the carport.
Smith said that when he arrived Grissom was seated on the tailgate of a pickup truck with the gun leaning against a nearby wall. Smith advised him that he was under arrest, told him to place his hands on his head and to walk to a plowed field across the road from the house, then forced him to lie face down, ams and legs extended, until help arrived. While forcing Grissom to remain in this position Smith checked to determine the extent of injury of the three law enforcement officers and found that Batey and Archer were dead and Key was seriously wounded with a shotgun blast to the back. Smith immediately radioed requested for a third ambulance to be sent to the scene and requested that Arkansas State Police Captain Wayland Spears, Jonesboro, be notified.
Captain Spears arrived at the scene in a very short time, accompanied by at least nine units of officers. Upon his arrival Chief Smith released Grissom to Captain Spears and the City Police units returned to Corning. Paul Stender, minister of First Baptist Church, accompanied Chief Smith to the Archer home on Highway 67 West to notify Mrs. Archer and her children of the tragedy.
Grissom was taken to Jonesboro for temporary confinement and has since been transferred to Paragould where he remains in jail.
Grissom has been charged with two counts of first degree murder and one count of assault with intent to kill by Prosecuting Attorney Gerald Pearson.
Chief Smith told this newspaper that he had been asked by all officers involved to thank the news medis and sitizens for their help in this ordeal.
When asked to verify a report that there were 13 firearms found inside the Grissom home, Chief Smith said that he did not know because he was not inside the home, but that he too, has learned that there were a number of firearms of assorted calibre at the house. Smith said that when he arrived the three offices were lying, as follows: Archer, by the right front wheel; Batey, at the left rear wheel and Key at the left front. The windshield of Sheriff Batey's car was shattered. Smith said that both Archer and Batey were shot with solid slugs, as well as shotgun blasts, but he said he could not verify reports that Grissom had felled the two officers with the shotgun, then used their own pistols to shoot them in the head. For this .. continued of page 14 (rest of the paper was lost so I don't have the rest of the story. If anyone has the rest of this Please e-mail me. Thank You, Susie)
