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| Photo taken during booking of Calvin Nicholas Salyers into the Saline County Detention Center. |
The shooting
occurred around 7:12 PM on June 3. Saline County Sheriff’s Deputies
were sent to the scene at 15458
Evergreen Drive in Alexander where they found
Hutton wounded by a gunshot and lying outside the residence. Hutton
was transported to a Little Rock hospital where physicians pronounced
him
dead.
The warrant, issued
July 8, charges Salyers with, “[U]nlawfully and feloniously on or
about June 3, 2020 recklessly cause the death of Scott Hutton.”
In the warrant
Manslaughter is defined as, “[R]ecklessly causes the death of
another person.” The warrant is also, “[S]eeking enhancement of
sentence in that the defendant employed a firearm in the commission
of the offense.”
At the request of
the Alexander Police Department the investigation was conducted by
the Arkansas State Police. According to the ASP press release, once
the investigation was complete the report was submitted to the Saline
County prosecuting attorney who made the final decision whether or
not to file charges.
According to the
affidavit submitted by ASP Special Agent Ryan Jacks, Hutton drove to
the Evergreen Drive address to pick up a patrol vehicle from Salyers.
Prior to arriving at 7:12 PM Hutton made two attempts by phone to
alert Salyers he was on his way.
“At 7:09:20 PM.,
Hutton made an outgoing phone call to Salyers’ personal phone, but
wasn’t connected,” the affidavit states. “Then, at 7:09:36 PM.,
Hutton sent a text to Salyers’ cell phone number stating, ‘Are
you awake?’”
Hutton parked in the
driveway, walked onto the porch and knocked on the front door,
according to the affidavit. Inside Salyers, and his girl friend
Ashlee Cummings, were laying on the couch watching a movie. When
hearing the knocking Salyers said he went to the door carrying his
Glock .40 caliber handgun.
“[H]e looked
through the peep hole and saw a figure standing on his porch with a
dark shirt and a gun on his hip,” according to the affidavit.
“Salyers stated that he transferred his weapon from his right hand
to his left hand and reached for the door knob and as he opened the
door, the gun went off, firing a round through the front door.”
As Salyers continued
to open the door Hutton fell off the porch. According to Salyers it
was then he realized it was Hutton when seeing him on the ground.
Salyers and Cummings
called 911 requesting an ambulance. The affidavit includes a quote
from the 911 call with Salyers saying, “[A]ll I seen was a gun, it
was an accidental discharge.”
A search of the
scene by ASP confirms statements made by Salyers, according to the
affidavit. “[A]gents located a single bullet hole in the front door
near the peep hole. The bullet appeared to have traveled from inside
the residence, through the main door and then through the glass storm
door.” The hand gun, “[W]as found on the floor just inside the
door threshold. … Powder burns and a C-Shape ring of residue were
left around the hole” indicating the weapon was pressed up against
the door when fired.
The investigation
also found the bullet had, “[S]truck Officer Hutton in the upper
right chest, traveled across his body, entered and exited his heart,
then and wedged under the skin on his left side. Based on Officer
Hutton’s injury, it was likely he was standing at an angle and not
squarely facing the door.” During the 911 call Salyers began
providing medical aid to Hutton.
Hutton was dressed
in a black polo type shirt, khaki tactical pants and a typical
police-style gun belt with a badge positioned next to his holstered
firearm.
While interviewing
Alexander Training Sgt. Matt Wharton he repeated a statement Salyers
made to him during the early stages of the Minneapolis riots.
According to Wharton Salyers said if any rioters came to his
residence he would, “[S]hoot through the door.” Wharton said he
instructed Salyers could not do that because it would be, “[R]eckless
and negligent.” Wharton told Salyers they can’t, “[S]hoot
anyone without identifying them first,” and establish they are a
threat.
Salyers was booked
at the Saline County Detention Center on July 8 at 8:13 AM. He was
released on $15,000 bond at 5:18 PM the same day.
A Class C felony is
punishable with a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment for a period
between 3 to 10 years, or both.
Ironically, Salyers
was recently presented with a Life Saving Award for medical aid he
provided to Alexander Council Member Jeff Watson after he was stabbed
three times in front of his home. The incident occurred April 21. He
received the award at the May 18 council meeting. Watson survived the
attack.
Salyers has been an
Alexander police officer since 2017. He serves as the department’s
K-9 officer.
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