A man accused of playing a role in the March 19 shooting in Dumas that left one man dead and 26 other injured has been released on bond as new details in the case have emerged.
Brandon D. Knight, 22, was released from the Dumas city jail Friday on $100,000 bond. Knight, who has a North Little Rock address but was previously said to be from Jacksonville, was arrested after being released from a Dumas hospital on March 23 and was booked in jail on a warrant signed by 10th Judicial District Circuit Judge Crews Puryear.
The warrant stated there were reasonable grounds to believe Knight had committed first-degree battery and aggravated assault. Prosecutors have not formally charged Knight, but if convicted, he could face five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000 on the battery charge; and up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine on the assault charge.
Cameron Shaffer, 23, of Jacksonville died in the shooting, but Arkansas State Police said on March 20 there was no indication that Shaffer played a role in the conflict that led to the incident.
Five children, ages 11 years to 19 months, were among those wounded during the shooting incident, which took place during a car show held as part of the Dumas's 16th annual Hood-Nic -- neighborhood picnic -- festival, a family-friendly weekend event that also includes a parade, speakers and other entertainment.
An affidavit by ASP Special Agent Randy Rauls, of the criminal investigations division, says state police received a call from dispatch at 7:40 p.m. on March 19, where a shooting involving multiple victims at the old Fred's store on U.S. 65 South in Dumas was reported. Dumas Police Chief Keith Finch said the incident occurred at 6:50 p.m., when more than 1,500 people were at the car show, according to the affidavit.
Rauls said he interviewed Knight at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff that evening.
"Brandon stated that he had been in line for the food truck, but the line was too long, so they decided to go to McDonald's," Rauls said. "He said he turned around and [had] seen somebody with a black backpack getting jacked up. He said the guy [came] up with the gun and started shooting. He said he couldn't see the shooter. He said he [had] just seen the flashes and tried to turn around and run."
Rauls said state police received information from a juvenile witness on the description of the man later identified as Knight. The juvenile, Rauls said, identified a male lying on a gurney as the shooter.
Knight told Rauls he rode down from Little Rock with Shaffer and Kaleb Daniels, and that someone was taking Daniels' backpack off him and held a gun to Daniels' leg, the affidavit said.
"He said the guy shoots Kaleb and he said [']I had my gun right here['] (pointing inside his waistband)," Rauls said, referring to Knight's description. "He said when the guy shot Kaleb, he couldn't let that happen. He said [']as I'm reaching for mine (gun), he shoots me in my chest, so I shoot['] (making a shooting motion with his right hand). He said he didn't know how many times he shot but he knew it was multiple times, he said it was happening so fast and his adrenaline was up. He said he got shot in the arm and drops his gun and runs."
According to the affidavit, Knight told Rauls he had a brown gun -- a Glock. Knight reportedly told Rauls he and Daniels fled to Shaffer's car before being transported to a Dumas hospital by police.
"He said, 'I know there was a lot of kids out there, I [had] seen the kids in the hospital, and it hurt,'" Rauls said in the affidavit.
An investigation produced a tan-colored .40-caliber Glock pistol with a black extended magazine, according to the affidavit. The pistol reportedly contained one live round in the chamber and two in the magazine, and 17 spent .40-caliber casings were found on the scene.
Little Rock attorney Ron Davis is representing Knight, according to court documents. A message was left at Davis' office seeking comment.