In the early evening of June 5, 2020, in Little Rock, Arkansas, a burst of gunfire shattered the downtown air near the intersection of 2nd and Cross Streets. When police arrived at the scene around 6:19 p.m., they discovered 22-year-old Aaren Daniels lying in the roadway. He had been shot multiple times. Emergency services transported Daniels to a local hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly.
Law enforcement agencies in the area, who had heard the gunshots, were quick to respond. Witnesses at the scene provided crucial information, leading authorities to identify a suspect who had fled in a Chevrolet Impala. The suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Kameron Carpenter, had reportedly carjacked the vehicle to make his escape. Another vehicle with people inside was also hit by gunfire during the incident, though no other injuries were reported from that car.
Arkansas State Highway Patrol located the Impala, and after a pursuit, Kameron Carpenter was taken into custody. Following interviews with witnesses and an investigation into the events of that evening, Carpenter was arrested. He was subsequently charged with a litany of serious offenses, including capital murder, two counts of committing a terroristic act, and fleeing. Carpenter was then transported to the Pulaski County Jail. Authorities have stated that the shooting was not connected to a protest against police brutality that was taking place nearby at the state Capitol.
