On the evening of the Fourth of July, 2026, the sounds of celebration were tragically interrupted by gunfire on West 26th Street in Little Rock, Arkansas. Officers from the 12th Street Division were dispatched to the 4309 block of the street at 8:49 p.m. following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered a young man, later identified as 22-year-old Tavaris Rhodes, unresponsive in the street.
He was suffering from what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency personnel from the Little Rock Fire Department were present and attempted to render life-saving aid to the young man. Despite their efforts, Tavaris Rhodes was pronounced dead at the scene. The area was quickly secured by law enforcement, and Homicide Detectives, along with the Crime Scene Search Unit, were called in to begin their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting. The Pulaski County Coroner's office took custody of Rhodes's body to be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy as his next of kin were being notified of the tragic loss.
The investigation into the death of Tavaris Rhodes was immediately active and has been described as ongoing. In the days and weeks following the incident, authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or made any arrests in connection with the shooting. Details regarding a potential motive or the events leading up to the homicide have not been released to the public. As of the latest available information, no charges have been filed, and there have been no court proceedings, convictions, or sentences handed down in this case. The case remains an open and active homicide investigation with the Little Rock Police Department.
