The 6th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney has determined that an Arkansas State Police (ASP) Trooper and three Benton Police officers were justified in using deadly force in the shooting death of Aaron Watson, 35, of Hot Springs. The incident occurred on Monday, January 1, 2024.
Watson died following a high-speed pursuit that began in Benton and ended in Little Rock. The Saline County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) alerted ASP at approximately 2:04 p.m. that they were pursuing a white 1996 BMW driven by Watson on the Interstate 30 service road near the 128-mile marker in Benton.
The chase concluded when troopers executed a Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) maneuver on the Interstate 30 service road near the University Avenue exit. Watson fired at law enforcement officers, who returned fire, fatally wounding him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Watson was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service and was driving a vehicle with fictitious plates. No ASP Troopers or Benton Police officers were injured in the incident.
