Officer relieved after bodycam shows gun against suspect’s head
The Little Rock Police Department has placed an officer on administrative leave and opened an internal review after body-camera footage showed the officer placing his handgun against the head of a 23-year-old man during an Aug. 9 arrest at a South University Avenue gas station, department officials and community advocates said.
Channel 7 obtained the body-camera video that appears to show Officer Thomas Shook pressing his firearm to the head of Gregory Williams during the arrest. According to the police report and the video, officers responded to a call in which a store clerk said Williams had threatened to shoot him after an argument. Williams denied making the threat, and officers said they did not find any weapons on him or in his backpack.
The store clerk is seen in the video later telling officers he did not want to press charges. No criminal charges were filed against Williams, police said. The footage also appears to show an assisting officer pushing Shook’s gun away as Williams was being placed in handcuffs.
- Date of incident: Aug. 9
- Location: South University Avenue gas station, Little Rock
- People involved: Officer Thomas Shook, Gregory Williams (23), store clerk
- Department action: Officer placed on administrative leave; internal investigation opened
Representatives from Arkansas Stop the Violence held a press conference in Little Rock on Aug. 20 criticizing the officer’s conduct and urging the city and the department to be more transparent about the incident and the outcome of the review. Rev. Benny Johnson, executive director of the group, called the action "unprofessional" and warned about the potential consequences of officers using a firearm in that manner.
"The police's job is to serve and protect, not to patrol and control," Johnson said. "That gun could have accidentally gone off and blown his brains out. We demand transparency from this police department."
City leaders and the Little Rock Police Department have not released additional details beyond confirmation that Shook was placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation proceeds. The department’s actions follow body-camera policy expectations that footage be reviewed after use-of-force incidents. The case has intensified calls from local advocates for clearer accountability and expanded training for officers engaged in confrontations.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Incident date | Aug. 9, 2026 |
| Public disclosure / press event | Aug. 20, 2026 |
| Officer status | Administrative leave, internal investigation |
Local advocacy groups say the incident underscores long-standing community concerns about use-of-force tactics and the need for proactive measures to prevent harm during routine enforcement encounters. They have called for:
- Release of additional department records and a timeline of the internal review
- Independent oversight or involvement of external review in cases involving firearms
- Enhanced training focused on de-escalation and safe weapon handling during arrests
Police officials have not stated whether disciplinary action will be taken pending the outcome of the internal investigation. The situation places renewed focus on Little Rock’s relationship with the communities it serves, as residents, activists and elected officials watch for the department’s findings and any policy changes that may follow.
As the case proceeds, it raises questions about body-camera transparency and how quickly departments should make footage public after incidents that draw community concern. For now, the department’s confirmation that an officer has been relieved of duty signals that leaders consider the action serious enough to warrant formal review.
More information is expected as the internal investigation continues and as advocates press the city for details on training, accountability and policy revisions aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.
