Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Authorities said three people are dead and an officer was stabbed while responding to a domestic violence situation at a residence in Fort Smith, Ark., early Sunday.
The officer was responding to a 911 call at about 6:20 a.m. concerning a shirtless white man assaulting another person at the corner of an intersection in Fort Smith, which is located near the Arkansas border with Oklahoma, police chief Danny Baker said during a press conference.
The officer arrived to discover the man, identified as 40-year-old Christofer Conner, beating his 15-year-old son with a rock, Baker said.
Conner was at first compliant with the arresting officer but as he was put into restraints he produced an edged weapon and slashed the officer's throat and neck.
The officer, who was not identified, then fired two shots, striking and killing Conner, Baker said, adding the injured officer was then rushed to a local hospital where he underwent emergency surgery and was now recovering at an undisclosed location.
The boy was also transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead after having sustained "multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma," he said.
A search of the residence also produced the body of 42-year-old Julia Marie Moore. Baker said it was "evidence of an extremely violent attack inside the home."
A five-year-old boy was also discovered and was removed from the residence and was with family, he said.
"I have no doubt that our officers' swift actions saved this child's life," he said.
The Arkansas State Police will lead the investigation as it involved an officer discharging his weapon, Baker said, adding that the injured officer has been placed on paid administrative leave for at least three days as dictated by procedures.
"Fort Smith is a wonderful community and when unimaginable tragedies like this happen we're all left scared, angry, frustrated, sometimes hopeless," he said. "No one believes in the sanctity of life more than the men and women of the Fort Smith Police Department. Each one of us are sworn to protect it at all costs. So it hurts us as much as it does each of you when an outcome like this is unavoidable."