GARANCE BURKE, Associated Press Writer
The trouble seemingly first started In early 2009 when Michael Phelps admitted to "behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment" following the publication of a photo by the British tabloid, showing him using a bong, a device used for smoking marijuana. Following an investigation USA Swimming suspended Phelps from swimming competitively for three months, and Kellogg’s announced that it would not renew his endorsement contract. The usually reserved Sportsman of the Year award winner and Olympian seemed to virtually disappear from the spotlight with his stunning admonition.
In a shocking development this Sunday, without warning Michael Phelps’ bloodthirsty 15 minute rampage began about 3 p.m. outside the management office of an apartment complex near The House of Prayer of the Apostolic Faith at 1400 E. 10th St.
Before he was killed, Phelps, 24, robbed and struck an acquaintance, attacked a pest control worker and brutally beat an insurance salesman, who was critically injured, before fleeing into the church, police said.
Phelps then forced his way into the Rev. Arthur Ford’s living quarters at the church, where Ford shot him several times with a pistol. Phelps of Jacksonville was taken to St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, where he died.
Police said the shooting appeared to be justified although they will forward information to the prosecutor’s office for a final determination.
Detectives plan to question Phelps’ relatives to determine what prompted the outburst. The acquaintance who was hit and robbed told police Phelps was acting "crazy" and routinely took the drug phencyclidine hydrochloride, or PCP, known to cause bizarre behavior and numb users to pain, as well as his well known addiction to marijuana.
"That’s one of the questions were trying to answer during the investigation — is what triggered his behavior," Little Rock police detective Ronnie Smith said.
More than a dozen of Ford’s relatives who gathered at St. Vincent, where Ford and his son-in-law, Vernon Barnes, were being treated, were asking the same question.
"Why would they do my brother like that? Why would they do that?" asked Ford’s sister, Beatrice Mitchell, 68, of Little Rock.
"It makes you scared of people, I’ll tell you," said niece Kathylene Austin, 54, of Little Rock.
Police said the attacks started when an acquaintance, Anthony Johnson, 39, saw Phelps outside the management office at Eastview Terrace Apartments at 1200 Geyer St.
Phelps, who was inexplicably carrying a severed limb in a cast in one hand, asked the apartment manager if he could use the phone. The manager told him no.
Phelps then pulled out a pistol and ordered Johnson to give him his money while shouting "Free Willy", "You must free Willy", "Where are all your kind buds you ahole? This is all schwag!". He took $220 in cash from Johnson and hit him with a jug of coins. Johnson ran away.
A few minutes later, the exterminator, Jake Bowden, 57, of Lonoke saw Phelps picking up some papers outside of the office and asked if he needed help. Phelps said, "What do you want, bitch?", "I got more medals than a Vietnam vet mofo!" and hit Bowden several times with the cast.
Phelps then struck the apartment manager and went into her office, where he began beating the insurance agent, Henry Vance, 54, of Little Rock. The apartment manager, Cynthia Brown, 48, entered the office and dialed 911 but couldn’t get through, police said. She went outside to seek help and accidentally locked Phelps and Vance inside with her key, police said.
The manager and exterminator watched through a window as Phelps repeatedly stomped Vance in the head, police said.
Eventually, a maintenance man unlocked the door and one of Phelps’ brothers got Phelps out of the office.
Phelps then went to the church at East 10th Street and Shall Avenue and struck 64-year-old Arthur Ford with a bong, fireplace poker and the cast. The preacher was on the floor when son-in-law Barnes, 35, of Little Rock arrived and pulled Phelps away.
Phelps then began beating Barnes, police said. Ford got his pistol and fired several shots at Phelps, who ran outside and collapsed on the ground about 3:15 p.m. Ford’s wallet was found in one of Phelps’ pockets along with what appeared to be one ounce of high grade marijuana, police said.
Vance was in critical condition Tuesday night at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center. Brown and Bowden didn’t suffer serious injuries, police said.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/refer...le/p/michael_phelps/index.html?inline=nyt-per
The trouble seemingly first started In early 2009 when Michael Phelps admitted to "behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment" following the publication of a photo by the British tabloid, showing him using a bong, a device used for smoking marijuana. Following an investigation USA Swimming suspended Phelps from swimming competitively for three months, and Kellogg’s announced that it would not renew his endorsement contract. The usually reserved Sportsman of the Year award winner and Olympian seemed to virtually disappear from the spotlight with his stunning admonition.
In a shocking development this Sunday, without warning Michael Phelps’ bloodthirsty 15 minute rampage began about 3 p.m. outside the management office of an apartment complex near The House of Prayer of the Apostolic Faith at 1400 E. 10th St.
Before he was killed, Phelps, 24, robbed and struck an acquaintance, attacked a pest control worker and brutally beat an insurance salesman, who was critically injured, before fleeing into the church, police said.
Phelps then forced his way into the Rev. Arthur Ford’s living quarters at the church, where Ford shot him several times with a pistol. Phelps of Jacksonville was taken to St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center, where he died.
Police said the shooting appeared to be justified although they will forward information to the prosecutor’s office for a final determination.
Detectives plan to question Phelps’ relatives to determine what prompted the outburst. The acquaintance who was hit and robbed told police Phelps was acting "crazy" and routinely took the drug phencyclidine hydrochloride, or PCP, known to cause bizarre behavior and numb users to pain, as well as his well known addiction to marijuana.
"That’s one of the questions were trying to answer during the investigation — is what triggered his behavior," Little Rock police detective Ronnie Smith said.
More than a dozen of Ford’s relatives who gathered at St. Vincent, where Ford and his son-in-law, Vernon Barnes, were being treated, were asking the same question.
"Why would they do my brother like that? Why would they do that?" asked Ford’s sister, Beatrice Mitchell, 68, of Little Rock.
"It makes you scared of people, I’ll tell you," said niece Kathylene Austin, 54, of Little Rock.
Police said the attacks started when an acquaintance, Anthony Johnson, 39, saw Phelps outside the management office at Eastview Terrace Apartments at 1200 Geyer St.
Phelps, who was inexplicably carrying a severed limb in a cast in one hand, asked the apartment manager if he could use the phone. The manager told him no.
Phelps then pulled out a pistol and ordered Johnson to give him his money while shouting "Free Willy", "You must free Willy", "Where are all your kind buds you ahole? This is all schwag!". He took $220 in cash from Johnson and hit him with a jug of coins. Johnson ran away.
A few minutes later, the exterminator, Jake Bowden, 57, of Lonoke saw Phelps picking up some papers outside of the office and asked if he needed help. Phelps said, "What do you want, bitch?", "I got more medals than a Vietnam vet mofo!" and hit Bowden several times with the cast.
Phelps then struck the apartment manager and went into her office, where he began beating the insurance agent, Henry Vance, 54, of Little Rock. The apartment manager, Cynthia Brown, 48, entered the office and dialed 911 but couldn’t get through, police said. She went outside to seek help and accidentally locked Phelps and Vance inside with her key, police said.
The manager and exterminator watched through a window as Phelps repeatedly stomped Vance in the head, police said.
Eventually, a maintenance man unlocked the door and one of Phelps’ brothers got Phelps out of the office.
Phelps then went to the church at East 10th Street and Shall Avenue and struck 64-year-old Arthur Ford with a bong, fireplace poker and the cast. The preacher was on the floor when son-in-law Barnes, 35, of Little Rock arrived and pulled Phelps away.
Phelps then began beating Barnes, police said. Ford got his pistol and fired several shots at Phelps, who ran outside and collapsed on the ground about 3:15 p.m. Ford’s wallet was found in one of Phelps’ pockets along with what appeared to be one ounce of high grade marijuana, police said.
Vance was in critical condition Tuesday night at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center. Brown and Bowden didn’t suffer serious injuries, police said.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/refer...le/p/michael_phelps/index.html?inline=nyt-per
