The Batesville Police Department Investigative Department has provided the media with information on the shooting incident Saturday night, Aug. 1, in the Hawg’s Exxon parking area in north Batesville.
Police say they were called around 8:30 Saturday night in regards to a shooting in the Hawg’s parking area. Responding officers met several witnesses who said they observed two male subjects get into a physical altercation and then shots were fired.
According to the release, one of the male suspects got into a yellow Chevy Cobalt and left the scene. The other suspect left in a black Kia Soul. The media update said blood, shell casings from a pistol, and an amount of marijuana was spread across the pavement where the altercation occurred.
A short time later, dispatch informed on-scene officers that a yellow car was spotted traveling south on St. Louis Street with its flashers on. The caller said he could see what looked like blood on the outside of the car as it passed his location.
The caller said the occupants threw a handgun out of the vehicle and onto the pavement, the release said.
A responding officer found the handgun a short time later. Officers then received a call from White River Medical Center advising that they had a victim of multiple gunshot wounds in the emergency room.
Officers went to the ER and talked with the victim, Taren Tharp, 18, of Cave City. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his right arm. Tharp was the driver of the yellow Cobalt, and he had a passenger with him in the vehicle.
The meeting at Hawg’s was previously arranged between Tharp and a subject only known as “Snuuk,” according to the official report.
Tharp was to sell “Snuuk” marijuana, the release said.
According to the officers, Tharp said the black Kia Soul pulled up along his vehicle and “Snuuk” came at him with a pistol and demanded all his drugs and money.
An altercation ensued according to some witnesses and both men may have had handguns.
Shortly into the altercations shots were fired before both left the scene.
Authorities checked cell phones and other data and discovered the black Kia Soul returned to a 19-year-old Mount Pleasant female.
They also found that she had a boyfriend fitting the description of the second suspect at Hawg’s. He was identified as a juvenile, and his name has not been released yet by investigators.
Statements from Tharp and other witnesses confirmed the juvenile’s identity as the second suspect, “Snuuk,” the release noted.
Charges have been filed against “Snuuk” including two felonies; aggravated robbery and first-degree battery, misdemeanor second-degree criminal mischief.
As of Monday, authorities are still looking for “Snuuk.”
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