North Little Rock police are searching for the two black men said to be seen running from the scene.
A Salvation Army major, Philip Wise, 40, was shot and killed in frontof his wife and three small children Christmas Eve as he walked intothe organization’s North Little Rock headquarters.
North LittleRock police said Wise and his children were approached by two gunmen,both black men dressed in black, who demanded money and then fatallyshot the officer.
Police said Wise had money from the day’s collections with him when he was attacked.
Theincident happened around 4:15 p.m. Thursday as Wise, and his threechildren, ages 4, 6 and 8, were walking into the North Little RockCommunity Center at 1505 W. 18th St., where the Salvation Army is alsolocated.
A Pulaski County coroner said Wise was pronounced dead at the scene.Maj. Cindy Wise, the man’s wife who also is a Salvation Army officer,was in the center and witnessed the shooting and called 911, tellingpolice her husband had just dropped off bell-ringers from collectingmoney for the needy. She said her family was walking into the center at18th and Main from a van used to pick up the bell-ringers fromlocations around the city.
Police said one of the two men, bothof whom reportedly appeared to be in their teens or early 20s, pulled agun, demanded money and then shot Wise.