In the early evening of March 26, 2017, the sound of gunfire shattered the quiet at the Broadmoor Arms Apartments in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. When police arrived at the complex located at 801 South Wisconsin Street, they found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The man, identified as Charles Tinnie, had managed to stumble down a flight of stairs before collapsing. Emergency medical attention was rendered at the scene, but his injuries proved to be fatal.
Accounts from the time differ on Tinnie's age, with one report stating he was 27 years old, while another indicates he was 47.
The Pine Bluff Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation into the shooting. According to Lieutenant DeFoor of the Pine Bluff Police, the incident appeared to have stemmed from an argument between Tinnie and another individual. The investigation quickly led to a suspect, and an arrest was made in connection with the fatal shooting.
Gwatney Akins, who was 41 years old at the time, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. The killing marked the eighth homicide in the city of Pine Bluff for that year. The case highlighted the ongoing challenges with gun violence in the community. While community cooperation was noted as a significant factor in helping to solve many cases in Pine Bluff during that period, the specifics of the investigation and the ultimate legal outcome for Akins were not extensively detailed in the initial public reports.
