Arkansas – The Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office has requested the Arkansas State Police (ASP) Criminal Investigation Division to investigate an officer-involved shooting involving the K-9 team from the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
On March 6, 2025, the FCSO issued a BOLO for Joseph Blair, 41, of Faulkner County. Blair, an absconder from the DOC, was considered armed and dangerous. Throughout the day, law enforcement, including the U.S. Marshals, tracked Blair’s movements.
At approximately 6:30 p.m., the DOC K-9 team located Blair in a wooded area near Solomon Grove Baptist Church.
Blair was armed with a firearm when officers opened fire, fatally striking him. The Faulkner County coroner pronounced him deceased at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Blair’s body will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy to determine the exact cause and manner of death.
ASP CID agents will compile a case file for the Faulkner County prosecutor, who will review the findings and determine whether the use of deadly force was consistent with Arkansas law.
The investigation remains ongoing.