MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. — A manhunt for a suspect charged Wednesday afternoon with attempted murder has ended after the suspect was found dead in a residence.
The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office says 28-year old Alton Bruce Cooke was found deceased at a residence in Gassville.
Investigators from several agencies interviewed numerous people and followed up on several leads over the past two days, leading to the Gassville residence on Thursday morning. Sheriff John Montgomery says surveillance was set up on the residence and investigators made contact with two people there around 1:30 pm Thursday.
The residents reportedly told authorities that Cooke was armed with a handgun and had run into a back room.
Officers surrounded the house and evacuated the surrounding homes and attempted to make contact with Cooke for the next several hours. Around 5:30 pm, tear gas was deployed and the Mountain Home Police Department Special Response Team made entry into the house, where they found Cooke deceased in a self-made barricaded area of the house.
Based on evidence at the scene, indications are that Cooke died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.
Cooke was charged Wednesday with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, felon in possession of a firearm, four counts of aggravated assault, and first-degree battery after reportedly ramming a vehicle several times and shooting two people inside. Those victims were treated and released the same day.
Cooke’s body will be sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Little Rock to confirm the cause and manner of death.
The sheriff says the investigation is continuing with charges likely for people who may have assisted Cooke during the manhunt.
