Former Stone County deputy accused of shooting, injuring 13-year-old

STONE COUNTY, Ark. – A former law enforcement officer is behind bars and accused of shooting at two teens, leaving a 13-year-old with injuries.

Former Stone County Deputy Steven Gill, 60, is now facing aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a minor charge.

Justin Dycus, 18, told KARK 4 News that he and his cousin were attempting to fish at a pond on land owned by the Gill family, and he said he’d been permitted to fish by another family member.

Dycus said it was his cousin who got hit by one of the bullets in his left shoulder. He was airlifted to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock and is recovering with non-life-threatening injuries.

Dycus said the bullets barely missed him, but the bullet that injured his cousin could’ve paralyzed or killed him if it struck an inch away from impact.

“I was terrified,” Dycus said. “It’s the scariest thing I’ve been through, and I’ve been through a lot.”

Dycus said this was not their first encounter with Gill and that the argument concerning fishing on this land had been an issue in the past though he didn’t realize it would ever escalate this much.

According to the sheriff’s office, Gill claims he thought he was shooting at dogs on his property, but investigators believe the boys were within plain sight, enough for Gill to know what he was shooting at.

The sheriff told KARK 4 News that the suspect is being held without bond and is expected to appear before a judge on Tuesday.

He said he wanted to emphasize the sheriff’s office’s push for justice to be served in this incident.

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