In the late hours of a spring evening in Little Rock, Arkansas, a call to the police about a possible drunk driver set in motion the discovery of a tragic event. On April 3, 2020, officers were dispatched to Woodford Drive at 9:56 p.m. after a resident reported a white vehicle with its door open and headlights on, sitting oddly in their driveway and partially on their lawn. A short while later, the same concerned citizen called back with a more alarming update: a man was lying on the ground near the vehicle.
Upon their arrival, the Little Rock Police Department officers found a man, later identified as 36-year-old Howard Tate, a Black / African American male, on the ground near the car. He had sustained apparent gunshot wounds and showed no signs of life. Medical personnel were called to the scene and pronounced him dead. Prior to the discovery of Mr. Tate, police had investigated reports of gunshots in nearby areas, but it remains uncertain if those calls were connected to his death.
The Homicide Detectives and Crime Scene Search Unit of the Little Rock Police Department immediately began an investigation into the death of Howard Tate. His body was transported to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for an autopsy to determine the official cause of death. The vehicle found at the scene was also towed for examination by detectives. As the investigation continues, authorities have not publicly identified any suspects in the shooting death of Howard Tate, and no arrests have been made in connection with the case. The police have encouraged anyone with information regarding the homicide to come forward.
