Suspected robber killed in North Little Rock had been charged in bank heist

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — A man whom North Little Rock police said was killed in an armed robbery attempt Monday had been accused of robbing a bank at gunpoint two years earlier.

A police report released Wednesday identifies the man as Robert Earl Hunter, 26. The report says that on Monday evening, Hunter approached Robert Williams, 45, in his front yard in the 1300 block of Pine Street. Hunter, who was wearing a black mask and red hoodie, reportedly pulled out two guns and told Williams, "I'm going to shoot you."

Williams grabbed Hunter's hands and "one of the guns went off," according to the report.

Hunter then fled. Police found him dead nearby in the 600 block of East 14th Street.

It was at least the second robbery police connected to Hunter in recent years. In February 2016, he was accused of holding up a Bank of England branch. Lonoke County authorities said Hunter took about $10,429 at gunpoint and fled the bank in a Honda three-wheeler. He was arrested later that day after crop-dusting planes in the area saw the three-wheeler and reported it to police, according to a court affidavit.

Hunter was charged with aggravated robbery, theft of property and aggravated assault. He was released from custody three months later, pending a trial.

Hunter's next court appearance had been scheduled for Feb. 7.

No charges had been filed in Hunter's death late Wednesday.