Prosecutors announced on Thursday that an Arkansas police officer has been cleared in last month’s fatal shooting of a man who was reportedly wielding a large knife.
According to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Green Forest officer Frank Pedraza fired three shots that hit Maung Tway, 34, after police were called to Tway’s apartment by three roommates who claimed Tway was causing a disturbance. The roommates reportedly wanted Tway off the property while other residents said Tway was destroying his room.
The Carroll County prosecutor said Pedraza went upstairs and stood approximately five feet from Tway’s closed bedroom door before asking Tway on three instances to exit his room. After Pedraza grabbed his gun, he reportedly heard a loud bang which was presumably the sound of a large object or club hitting the door.
According to the prosecutor, the noise sparked Pedraza to open the door — only to discover Tway “aggressively charging at the officer with a machete-type knife.” Tway allegedly ignored Pedraza’s commands, and Tway can be seen in bodycam footage raising a knife before the officer opens fire.
Tway, who was wounded twice in the chest and once in the hand, died at a hospital following the June 5 shooting.
Arkansas State Police said in a June 5 statement that its Criminal Investigation Divison was investigating Tway’s shooting death. Carroll County prosecutor Robert Rogers II announced in last week’s statement issued to the Democrat-Gazette that his investigation is complete and the officer who fatally shot Tway will not face criminal charges.
He said, “It is clear from the body-cam video that Officer Pedraza was under deadly attack and that a reasonable person in the officer’s position would have felt he was under imminent threat of death or serious physical injury.”
State police’s probe remains open as they await Tway’s toxicology results.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to the latest episode:
[Featured image: Green Forest Police Department]
