Dashcam shows dramatic traffic-stop shootout — up close and personal

The gunman charges the police car

TONTITOWN, Ark. — Police in Arkansas say no one was seriously hurt when a man opened fire on an officer during a traffic stop.

The shootout was captured in a dramatic dashcam video released by the Washington County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office says Cpl. Brett Thompson stopped a car Sunday for a traffic violation in Tontitown, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock.

The video shows the car's driver, 29-year-old Luis Cobos-Cenobio, open his door and begin firing at the officer. Cobos-Cenobio can then be seen charging toward the officer's cruiser, firing first from one side of the car hood and then the other. The gunman and officer exchanged about 40 shots.

The video below contains a snippet of video taken by a bystander — who was downrange from the gunman. It shows Thompson circling his police SUV, trying to avoid the gunman's line of sight. Thompson then sees an opportunity and backpedals down the road, facing the gunman but trying to put some distance between them. It also shows the aftermath of the gunfight, with the police SUV riddled with bullet holes.

In the dashcam footage, Cobos-Cenobio is seen driving off — dropping off his passenger along the way. Cobos-Cenobio was later arrested. He had a shoulder wound and was treated and released from a hospital.

As for why he opened fire, Cobos-Cenobio told officers he "wanted to die," according to a court document.

Cobos-Cenobio remains jailed on preliminary charges of attempted capital murder, fleeing and drug violations. Jail records do not indicate whether he has an attorney.







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