In the late afternoon of August 27, 2019, in Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, the life of 28-year-old Deanna Thomas Banks was tragically cut short. On that Tuesday, she and her friend, 36-year-old Christina Fulmer, were found deceased in the front yard of a residence at 202 Washington Street. Both women were residents of Helena-West Helena.
Responding to a report of a shooting, officers from the Helena-West Helena Police Department arrived at the scene to discover the two women. As they approached the home, 37-year-old Raymond Lewis Williams, Jr. emerged from the front door holding a rifle. Williams then retreated back inside, barricading himself and initiating a standoff with law enforcement that would last for hours.
The situation escalated, prompting the local police to request the assistance of the Arkansas State Police SWAT Team. Throughout the evening, negotiators attempted to communicate with Williams, but their efforts were unsuccessful. After multiple failed attempts to establish contact, law enforcement deployed tear gas into the residence to compel him to surrender.
Shortly after the tear gas was deployed, Williams reappeared on the front porch, once again armed with a rifle, and opened fire on the officers. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, state troopers fatally shot Williams. The bodies of Deanna Thomas Banks, Christina Fulmer, and Raymond Lewis Williams, Jr. were all sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for autopsies to determine the official causes and manners of death. The investigation into the incident also involved a review by the county prosecuting attorney to determine if the use of deadly force by the officers was consistent with state laws. The state troopers who fired their weapons were placed on paid administrative leave, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.
