A confrontation between an Arkansas State Trooper and a Guatemalan illegal alien turned violent on July 27, resulting in the trooper shooting the suspect in the head after he resisted arrest and assaulted her.
The incident, which took place on Interstate 49 near Rogers, Arkansas, involved 26-year-old Angel Zapet-Alvarado, who was driving over 114 miles per hour in heavy traffic when pulled over by State Trooper Alexandria Duncan.
Video footage of the altercation, released by the Arkansas State Police (ASP) on Wednesday, shows Trooper Duncan approaching Zapet-Alvarado’s vehicle and attempting to remove him from the driver’s seat.
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After tossing his keys and ordering him to exit the car, the situation quickly escalated when Zapet-Alvarado refused to comply.
As Duncan tried to remove Zapet-Alvarado from the vehicle, he resisted her efforts, and a struggle ensued.
The trooper deployed her taser in an attempt to subdue him, but Zapet-Alvarado managed to wrestle the taser away and throw it into the road.
As the confrontation continued, a bystander stopped her vehicle to assist Duncan.
The Good Samaritan, a woman, followed the trooper’s instructions to retrieve the taser from the highway and even intervened physically to help restrain the suspect.
However, the situation took a more violent turn when Zapet-Alvarado began assaulting Duncan.
In the midst of the struggle, Duncan discharged her firearm, hitting Zapet-Alvarado in the right temple.
He was later taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and was released into law enforcement custody after his condition stabilized.
Zapet-Alvarado was subsequently charged with second-degree battery and remains in custody, with additional charges pending under a Homeland Security hold.
The incident has sparked both praise and criticism, with many commending Trooper Duncan and the Good Samaritan for their bravery in handling a potentially deadly situation.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement honoring both women and condemning the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis.
“These two women who put their lives on the line to make sure their communities are safe are heroes, and thanks to their quick, brave action, a criminal illegal immigrant is in custody and off the streets,” Sanders said. “Even though they deny it, and the media covers it up, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have created the worst border crisis in history, and they must be held responsible.”
Zapet-Alvarado, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was found to have a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit and cannabinoids in his system at the time of the incident.
ASP Director Col. Mike Hager expressed gratitude that Trooper Duncan emerged from the altercation with non-life-threatening injuries and condemned Zapet-Alvarado’s actions, particularly in light of his immigration status.
“I pray every day for the safety of our Troopers as they sacrifice their own safety for the sake of our innocent civilians. I thank God today that He kept our Trooper alive and that He placed an unbelievably brave civilian by her side during her time of need,” Hager said. “It’s even more disturbing that this suspect is an undocumented, illegal immigrant from Guatemala. That shows another level of lawlessness that will not be tolerated in our state.”
The incident began when Trooper Duncan initiated a traffic stop at around 7:43 p.m. on Interstate 49. Zapet-Alvarado had been driving at an extremely high speed, and when he failed to comply with her instructions, Duncan tried to physically remove him from the vehicle.
The video footage shows the escalation of the situation as Zapet-Alvarado refused to comply, leading to a violent confrontation.
In the footage, after Duncan attempted to tase Zapet-Alvarado, he retaliated by throwing the taser into the road and attacking her.
The intervention of the female motorist provided crucial assistance, and after Duncan ordered the Good Samaritan to step aside, she fired her weapon in self-defense.
Zapet-Alvarado’s legal troubles extend beyond this incident. In addition to being charged with second-degree battery, he is being held on immigration-related charges under the jurisdiction of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
His case has also highlighted the ongoing debate surrounding the Biden-Harris administration’s immigration policies, with Republican leaders like Governor Sanders using the incident as a platform to criticize what they see as a failure to secure the border.
In her statement, Sanders directly linked the incident to broader national issues, asserting that the federal government’s failure to control illegal immigration has led to an increase in crime and threats to public safety.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have created the worst border crisis in history,” Sanders said. “They must be held responsible.”
As for Trooper Duncan, she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries following the altercation. The Arkansas State Police’s Criminal Investigation Division has launched an inquiry into the incident, as is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.
Col. Hager reiterated that law enforcement in Arkansas will continue to take a tough stance against criminal activity, particularly when it involves individuals who are in the country illegally.
“This type of unlawful behavior will not be tolerated in Arkansas,” Hager said. “Our Troopers put their lives on the line every day to protect the citizens of this state, and we will not allow criminals—especially those who have entered the country illegally—to undermine the safety and security of our communities.”
Zapet-Alvarado’s detention has reignited discussions about law enforcement’s role in dealing with violent offenders and the strain illegal immigration places on local law enforcement agencies.
Governor Sanders’ comments underscore the political ramifications of such incidents as they fuel the ongoing debate over border security and immigration reform.
Watch the full dashcam video release:
Read the full press release from the Arkansas Department of Public Safety:
DASH CAMERA VIDEO RELEASED FROM JULY OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING ON I-49 IN ROGERS
ROGERS, Ark. – Arkansas State Police released a Trooper’s dash camera footage today from a July 27th traffic stop that ended in an officer-involved shooting. Angel Zapet-Alvarado, 26, of Guatemala had a blood-alcohol level of twice the legal limit when he resisted arrest and assaulted the Trooper during a traffic stop on Interstate 49.
Benton County Prosecutor Joshua Robinson announced today that Trooper Alexandria Duncan’s use of deadly force was consistent with Arkansas law. ASP’s Criminal Investigation Division presented an investigative case file to the prosecuting attorney on August 9, 2024.
At approximately 7:43 p.m., Trooper Duncan attempted to stop Zapet-Alvarado on I-49 southbound after he passed her marked patrol unit traveling 114 miles an hour in heavy traffic near the 83-mile marker. Zapet-Alvarado initially showed no signs of stopping, even after Trooper Duncan activated her emergency lights and sirens. After stopping his vehicle on the right shoulder, Trooper Duncan instructed Zapet-Alvarado to exit the vehicle. Trooper Duncan observed Zapet-Alvarado with his hand on the gearshift and stopped him from driving away in the vehicle by taking his keys. He ignored commands to exit the vehicle and resisted Trooper Duncan’s efforts to remove him. She deployed her taser when he refused to comply. Zapet-Alvarado wrestled the Trooper’s taser from her hands and threw it into interstate traffic. During the incident, Zapet-Alvarado kicked Trooper Duncan’s head multiple times.
Kylie Sutton, 31, of Rogers witnessed the altercation and tried to assist Trooper Duncan. The Trooper used her service weapon to fire one round at Zapet-Alvarado, wounding him in the right temple. He continued to resist arrest and refused Trooper Duncan’s instructions to get on the ground.
Col. Mike Hagar said, “I wholeheartedly support Trooper Duncan. We tell our Troopers to trust their instincts and lean into their experience and training when they’re on the highways. Anyone who has walked in a Trooper’s boots knows that trusting your gut keeps you safe so that you can protect and serve the public. In our world, hesitation can get you killed.”
“I thank God that He gave Alex the strength to survive that encounter, and that He put Kylie by her side when she needed support the most. I’m so proud of them both.”
Zapet-Alvarado was transported to Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas, where he was treated and released to law enforcement. Toxicology results indicate his blood-alcohol was .16 and that cannabinoids were present. He was transported to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center, where he remains. He was placed on hold for Homeland Security Investigation (HSI).
Trooper Duncan was treated for non-life-threatening injuries she sustained when Zapet-Alvarado assaulted her.
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I want to know how an ILLEGAL INVADER is driving around in a brand new $30K vehicle. Stolen, Rental (I.D.?) or Tax Payer Provided?
100% the question. Immediate deportation to place of birth would be ideal.
He’s an “undocumented immigrant”. Most of them are brain surgeons, rocket scientists, and architects who came here to “Build Back Better”.
Please, let’s not get too much information.
Cannabis is also an intensifier. Mixing it with booze can really make your head spin, not in a good way.
Bidden/Harris : They did that and proud of it also
The trooper likely would have been killed except for the fact the perp was drunk and the trooper gained control after almost losing the battle . During the struggles uncertain outcome, I think she should have deployed survival measures to include kicks and strikes to the head and rib cage. In the old days ,the LE academies
taught this to ensure survival. That’s been removed by some states to present a kinder and gentler arrest.
Even more “kinder and gentler” is the addition of lowering of standards to allow women to become “police officers”.
So much is wrong here I don’t know where to begin.
Unlawful invaders mistakenly referred to as “illegal immigrants”…
Women policy overseers…
There’s so much wrong here, it’s hard to find anything right.
A lot more of this will happen with much worse results before this is over. Dear lady cop, you did great! Wear your battery out on him!
I am appalled that no able bodied male stopped to offer assistance to this trooper. Maybe even in arkansas the water has been saturated with excessive GMO rendering men into pussies.
I most likely would have stopped to help the “officer”, while at the same time wondering how a women could be so stupid as to put herself into a profession that could entail the very situation she faced. Additionally, I would have given some thought about the female pressure to lower the standards that allowed the women to take the job.
Thanks Kamalalala
Poor dyke was outmatched by a 150 pound greaser
She needs a refresher course during traffic stops.
We were never train to go up and just pull somebody right out of the car.
That’s not how it’s done. She could’ve got herself killed.
Getting someone else killed, wounded, or injured, seems to be the only way forward for many female lawmakers. With the introduction of various battered powered wheeled objects on the nations roadway’s, the death toll has risen. However, since many of the legislative bodies consist of a overwhelming number of females, more deaths will occur before anything is done.
In this situation, I think that going up and pulling somebody right out of the car is a violation of law, but not a violation of ignorance, egotism, and stupidity.
A child’s father was arrested because the father “provided access” to a gun, which the child used to kill several persons. How is the father’s actions more criminal than bidets actions regard this Guatemalan?
Silly situational training procedures on a perp hyped up on alcohol and drugs. Every here of a blackjack or baton to the head. Good night.