Arkansas police officer shot four times released from hospital

An Arkansas police officer shot four times during a traffic stop has been released from the hospital, while the man accused of shooting him remained in the Tucumcari jail on Tuesday night.

Police said Tristan Honey, 25, of Fort Smith, Ark., surrendered to New Mexico Port of Entry Officer Daniel Gonzales at 6:15 p.m. Sunday in San Jon. Honey is being held in the Quay County Detention Center on $1 million bond.

Fort Smith police spokesman Sgt. Levin Risley said Cpl. Barney Parsons was shot during an early-morning traffic stop on Saturday. Officials said his injuries could have been worse but Parsons was wearing a bullet-proof vest.

Fort Smith television station KFSM reported on its Web site that Parsons was released from the hospital Tuesday. The TV station reported Arkansas officials were scheduled to be in Tucumcari on Wednesday to return Honey to Fort Smith.

Officials said Parsons was shot in the chest, leg and foot.

A news release from New Mexico State Police reported Honey “for an unknown reason jumped out of his vehicle and opened fire on Parsons with a handgun” after a traffic stop.

Officials believe Honey then drove his vehicle until he reached the Port of Entry in San Jon on Sunday. The TV station’s Web site reported Honey turned himself in after learning from relatives that he was wanted by police.

Some media reports indicate others may have been in the vehicle with Honey when the officer was shot.

Parsons is a 24-year veteran assigned to the Patrol Operations Unit of the Fort Smith Police Department.