On the afternoon of Wednesday, June 13, 2018, 27-year-old James Lee Deen of Mountain Home was fatally wounded in Marion County, Arkansas, in what authorities have consistently described as an accidental shooting. Deen’s mother, Toni Nordyke, called 911 about 3:45 p.m. and reported that her son had accidentally shot himself in the chest. While she was driving, she was told to pull into the Animal Clinic of the Ozarks parking lot just east of Flippin on Highway 62/412.

Law enforcement and emergency medical personnel responded and arranged for an Air-Evac helicopter, which landed minutes later to transport Deen to Cox Hospital in Branson, Missouri. He died en route to the hospital. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and the Arkansas State Police investigated the shooting and focused on the circumstances of the accidental discharge; no arrests or suspects have been reported.

If anyone witnessed the scene near the Animal Clinic of the Ozarks that afternoon or has information about how the firearm discharged, please share what is known.