Forrest City Freshman Basketball Coach Armed With Gun While Coaching Game….Cover Up Fails.
Dec 26, 2024
You know, I never dreamed I would be reporting on a Public-School Basketball Coach having a gun on the bench while he was Coaching a game….Let alone that I would be reporting on it being covered up.
On December 11th, a trusted source contacted me stating that on the evening of December 5th during a Freshman Basketball game between Forrest City and West Memphis, an altercation between players broke out.
The game was being played at West Memphis and the source stated that when the altercation was broken up, a School Resource Officer, (SRO), noticed a handgun protruding from a bag that Forrest City Coach Kobe Wilson had on the bench with him.
On December 13th I began making inquiries with the West Memphis School Superintendent Eric Foister.
Through the Freedom of Information Act, I requested and received video of the altercation which shows two West Memphis Police Department SROs conversing with and then escorting two Forrest City Coaches out of the gym with one, Kobe Wilson, carrying a backpack….Here is the video in its entirety.
On December 18th, I sent WMPD Chief Robbin Campbell this FOI Request –
Chief Campbell drug his feet on fulfilling the request which is always a Red Flag of trying to cover up wrongdoing.
After pushing Chief Campbell on the request, I received the Incident Report but none of the other records I requested. When I pushed on why, West Memphis City Attorney Michael Stephenson emailed me that the other records requested do not exist….I’ll come back to why his statement is so important to my investigation into the matter.
The Incident Report confirmed what the source had stated to me….According to WMPD SRO Officer Tiwan Jackson, Coach Wilson indeed was armed with a Handgun that was protruding from his backpack on the bench with him.
So now you’re saying to yourself – Please tell us Coach Wilson was taken into custody and arrested.
I wished I could tell you he was but I can’t….Because he wasn’t.
Here is the Incident Report….Take a quick read because it is very disturbing on several levels.
Click settings on image to magnify.
Officer Jackson stated – “At that moment, there was uncertainty regarding any potential charges since the coach had not posed a threat to anyone and was not involved in the original altercation.”….I’m betting when parents of both schools find out about the incident that they are going to have a different opinion on whether Coach Wilson having the gun posed a threat to anyone.
“Uncertainty regarding any potential charges.”…..Are you kidding me ?….There is 100% certainty that is provided in clear State Law.
Here is the Statute –
5-73-119. Handguns — Possession by minor or possession on school property.
(b)
(1) No person in this state shall possess a firearm:
(A) Upon the developed property of a public or private school, kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12);
(B) In or upon any school bus; or
(C) At a designated bus stop as identified on the route list published by a school district each year.
(2)
(A) A violation of subdivision (b)(1) of this section is a Class D felony.
If anyone can make the case that the language in 5-73-119 isn’t clear and certain, I would love to hear it.
Here is what could not be any clearer….Kobe Wilson should have been arrested on the spot and charged with a Felony….Period.
So now you say – Jimmie….Why the Hell wasn’t he ?….Great question and one I’m working to get you an answer on.
Coach Wilson not being arrested is not the only disturbing issue raised by the Incident Report….Did you notice the day it was created ?….December 13th.
The report should have been created and done on December 5th, the date of the Incident, yet it was not created until after I began making inquiries into the matter….Another Big Red Flag.
Let’s go back to the FOI Request I sent Chief Campbell and the claim that the Body Camera Footage and other records do not exist….Sorry Chief Campbell….I’m not buying it.
On Monday I sent Chief Campbell the following detailed FOI Request and by law he has to provide me the records requested by December 26th at 6:45pm….If he does not comply, I will take him to Court for violating the laws in the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act….Bulldawg attorneys Joey McCutchen and Stephen Napurano would be all about that.
Let’s see if I can make this even more disturbing than it already is.
According to the Forrest City School District, Kobe Wilson is a teacher at Central Elementary School in the District which is another problem in itself besides carrying guns to games.
Records from the Arkansas Department of Education show Wilson does not have a License to teach in the State nor a Waiver to teach without a License in the State….And you thought it couldn’t get worse right ?
Besides the current FOI Request to Chief Campbell, I also have some to Foister and Forrest City School Superintendent Tiffany Hardrick.
I have also asked all three to provide me a statement involving the matter….Will they provide one ?….Don’t know.
What I do know is that I will leave no stone unturned investigating this whole pile of….manure, and I will bring you what I find along with providing it to the 2nd Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Sonia Hagood.
I will ask that Ms. Hagood send a request to the Arkansas State Police to do a full investigation and provide her their findings so that she may properly prosecute the crimes committed.
Kobe Wilson is not the only one who should be criminally charged and terminated from employment….not by a long shot.
It seems Government in Forrest City and West Memphis just can’t seem to break the pattern of illegal and corrupt behavior.
#FactsNotFiction
#TeamPink
moc.oohay@nivac.eimmij
Professional Bully Fighter I investigate and report on issues around the State of Arkansas with an emphasis on Government. I am strong conservative however I bring Truth and Facts regardless of Party affiliation….My hashtag is #FactsNotFiction
5-73-119(e) It is permissible to carry a handgun under this section if at the time of the act of possessing a handgun or firearm:
(7) The person is on a journey, unless the person is eighteen (18) years of age or less;
5-73-101 definitions
(10) “Journey” means a person has left his or her home or the curtilage of his or her home either on foot, horseback, bicycle, or in an automobile for any purpose or duration;
Criminal statutes have to be interpreted in favor of the defendant in Arkansas under “the rule of lenity.” Also statutes regulating the possession of firearms in Arkansas have to be strictly construed because it is such an important right. Both of these are found in case law.
Finally, in Bruins v New York the Supreme Court held there has to be a historically analogous state law restriction in place in 1867 for a statute prohibiting the possession of arms in a location to be valid.
5-73-122 prohibits carrying a loaded firearm in any publicly owned building.
Loaded is defined as basically having a round in the chamber in 5-73-101:
(11) “Loaded firearm” means a firearm that is assembled and contains an unexpended cartridge, shell, or projectile in the firing position, including without limitation:
(A) For a pistol or revolver, when an unexpended cartridge, shell, or projectile is in a position in which the unexpended cartridge, shell, or projectile could be fired by one (1) manual operation of any mechanism; and
(B) For a muzzle-loading firearm, when the muzzle-loading firearm is charged with a propellant and a projectile and is capped or primed;”
Then there is the federal gun free school zone act, which was found unconstitutional in 1995 however it was quickly amended to arguably be found constitutional now, however if I were a justice it would be clear that it is unconstitutional, but our courts are political so the result is a variable. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gun-Free-School-Zones-Act
Why are you trying to have someone charged with a felony for simply possessing a firearm with no intent to cause harm to anyone. If I coached high school basketball and my team was playing in West Memphis I would probably arm myself for protection as well. The police obviously understood why he felt the need to bring a firearm for protection so why are you trying to get involved in it? Find something better to do with your time.
Hey Perry, been a minute. You’re not wrong, but I don’t think he’s wrong either. If the coach felt he needed protection, there are way better ways to shuck that corn. Bringing a gun onto school property, especially in a place with obvious tension and rivalry, was careless, plain and simple.
This article isn’t just about having a firearm—it’s about accountability and poor judgment for both the coach, but seems the bigger highlight was the law enforcement and administration. The fact that he’s even in a teaching position when he’s not qualified, and the government didn’t handle this properly, is the real issue here. That’s worth talking about. Creating evidence after the fact… that smells real bad.
Also, why are you so concerned? Do you know the coach? That’s usually how this stuff keeps happening—the good ol’ boy system at work. Corruption gets a free pass when people look the other way. Maybe we should focus on the real problem instead of just defending bad decisions.
Though I haven’t lived there in 25 years, there are still 45 miles between Forrest City and West Memphis. Why are people so afraid of guns in a state where open and concealed carry are legal without a license? This was hardly an “altercation” in the game. The gun was not drawn or produced, it was “noticed.” Why would you not carry when you are legally able to do so and what responsible person would leave a firearm in their vehicle and not on their person or nearby? Something taking some time to get information about, especially through an FOIA request and not getting the correct information hardly constitutes a “cover-up.” This is sensational journalism at it’s best.