Juvenile Accused of Fatally Shooting Stepfather in Helena-West Helena Home

A juvenile is accused of fatally shooting his stepfather inside a Helena-West Helena residence on the 200 block of County Road 277, authorities said after a call for service came in just before 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. The victim was identified by an acquaintance as Sirnandle "Bernard" Duncan.

The Phillips County Sheriff's Department received the report of a shooting at the County Road 277 address and dispatched officers to the scene just before 10:30 a.m. Deputies arrived to a heavy law enforcement presence at the location, where the shooting reportedly occurred inside the home, according to an acquaintance who spoke with local reporters. The acquaintance said, "It was full of police down there yesterday, and I know he was shot inside his home."

Sheriff's officials cited Major John Harris of the Phillips County Sheriff's Department as the investigating authority handling the incident in Phillips County. The department continues to process the residence on the 200 block of County Road 277 and to gather evidence related to the alleged domestic dispute that preceded the shooting.

Local accounts tied the shooting to an alleged domestic incident between the juvenile's mother and the stepfather prior to the deadly confrontation. Investigators have characterized the event as a domestic incident that escalated to deadly violence within the Helena-West Helena household, and law enforcement is treating the juvenile as the accused in that shooting.

Neighbors and acquaintances in the Helena-West Helena area reported a substantial police response at the 200 block of County Road 277 the day officers responded, and a photograph published with reporting showed law enforcement activity at that block. Sirnandle "Bernard" Duncan was identified by a friend who spoke to reporters at the scene.

Major John Harris and investigators with the Phillips County Sheriff's Department continue to handle the active investigation into the shooting at the County Road 277 residence in Helena-West Helena. Further details on charges or filings related to the juvenile accused have not been released by the investigating authority as the department continues its work in Phillips County.