Police: Mercer County man wanted in abduction case shot himself after shootout with police in Arkansas
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A Mercer County man is dead after a Saturday night shootout with state police in a McDonald’s parking lot in Arkansas, authorities said.
William Ice, 38, of Jackson Center, had been wanted for the Feb. 11 kidnapping Savannah Childress, 14, in Davidson County, N.C.
Multiple police agencies including the FBI, U.S. Secret Service and Pennsylvania State Police worked to locate Ice in Arkansas.
Police said Ice initiated a shootout with two Arkansas State Police officers Saturday in a McDonald’s parking lot in Lonoke County, Arkansas near I-40.
Ice initially cooperated with authorities but aimed a gun at both officers, critically wounding one, police said.
The other officer returned fire as Ice returned to his car and fled the scene.
A police chase ensued with Ice’s Dodge SUV becoming stuck in a snowbank.
A passenger, believed to be Childress, was able to flee the vehicle to safety.
Ice was found by police with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound and later died at Little Rock Hospital.
Police determined Ice had contacted numerous other girls, including Childress, using a computer in Alamance County and was wanted by Pennsylvania law enforcement in connection with other child predator investigations.
Childress was using her school-issued computer to correspond with Childress, police said.
Childress had been found safe in Arkansas and was returned to North Carolina, police said.