GUILTY AR - Philip Wise, 40, shot to death, North Little Rock, 24 Dec 2009

Missizzy

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091225...uX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA3NhbHZhdGlvbmFybQ--

"Arkansas police are looking for two men who shot and killed a Salvation Army major in front of his three young children on Christmas Eve outside the organization's community center in North Little Rock."



This man was shot to death in a hold-up in front of his three young children. His wife, who's also a major, was inside the building and called 911.

All crime is horrific and all murder inexcusable but some just rip your heart out. On Christmas Eve...in front of children...a man who was helping his community. His children will have to carry on the legacy he left but they don't have a Daddy now.
 
My Lord...I didn't see this at first:

"The Wises had just adopted their children — ages 4, 6 and 8 — last year, Johnson said. The three were siblings who came from an abusive family. They were receiving counseling after their father's death, he said.

Kuykendall said the children were standing beside their father when he was shot, but there was apparently no interaction between the youngsters and the two men."

That's devastating. These children and this Momma need all the prayers they can get right now. Hopefully, the Salvation Army will envelope them all with love and support. It sounds like Mr. Wise had done a lot of wonderful things in that community. Why would the murderers kill him right in front of his children? It doesn't even sound as if they got any money.
 
Here's a link to a presser about Major Wise and a slideshow of some lovely photos of the major and his sweet family. Sometimes I really wonder if murderers have any idea of the lights they snuff out. From everything I've read, Major Wise's work will not be forgotten.

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=96548&catid=2

"Johnson says the Salvation Army will make sure the Wise family is forever taken care of, just like he went out of his way to help others. "We do our best to do the things to protect ourselves, but we go to places to bring light to dark places and to offer hope to those who may be hopeless so we will continue to do that."

Police say the motive is attempted robbery and they're looking for two African-American suspects believed to be in their late teens or early twenties. Both suspects were seen running from the scene.

A memorial fund will be established for the Wise family Monday. Johnson says they will also open a fund through the Salvation Army or kids to go to music camp because music and youth camp were some of Wise's passions.

If you have any information on this crime, you're asked to call North Little Rock Police at (501) 758-1234."
 
Here's a link to a presser about Major Wise and a slideshow of some lovely photos of the major and his sweet family. Sometimes I really wonder if murderers have any idea of the lights they snuff out. From everything I've read, Major Wise's work will not be forgotten.

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=96548&catid=2

"Johnson says the Salvation Army will make sure the Wise family is forever taken care of, just like he went out of his way to help others. "We do our best to do the things to protect ourselves, but we go to places to bring light to dark places and to offer hope to those who may be hopeless so we will continue to do that."

Police say the motive is attempted robbery and they're looking for two African-American suspects believed to be in their late teens or early twenties. Both suspects were seen running from the scene.

A memorial fund will be established for the Wise family Monday. Johnson says they will also open a fund through the Salvation Army or kids to go to music camp because music and youth camp were some of Wise's passions.

If you have any information on this crime, you're asked to call North Little Rock Police at (501) 758-1234."

BBM. Sometimes I believe the perps DO know the lights they snuff out and that's why it happens. I don't mean these killers knew the man personally, or cared about his good works - it's just that evil is very powerful at this time of year and a man who does good works is someone evil wants to eradicate by whatever means.
 
All we can do is fervently pray for his family, and may the Major RIP forever.
 
Incredibly sad. My prayers and thoughts go out to all those who loved him.
 
Major's shooting a tragedy for community, say authorities

Maj. Philip Wise, a big teddy bear of a man according to those close to him, worked for three years in the very neighborhood he was gunned down in.

The 40-year-old father of three joined the Salvation Army along with his wife, Cindy, 16 years ago, and they had spent the past few years reaching out to those in the Baring Cross neighborhood. The North Little Rock center provides youth programs, weekly church services and Sunday School and a food pantry, among other services.

Police don’t know whether Wise, who was active in the community, knew his attackers, he said.

Wise was returning to that Salvation Army center at 1505 W. 18th St. with his children Thursday afternoon when two black men, both with handguns, approached him and demanded money. One shot was fired, and Wise was killed as his children stood by. His wife, who was in the center at the time, was the one to call 911.

The family was about to leave for a Christmas trip to West Viriginia.


"It's such a tragedy for the community," said Sgt. Terry Kuykendall with the North Little Rock Police Department. "I hope they realize the loss."

Maj. Harvey Johnson, Wise's boss for the past year and a half, said Wise was an all-around good guy, a big teddy bear who loved sports. With Wise's children and Johnson's grandchildren around the same age, they shared many birthday celebrations together with their families.

The Wises had just adopted their children — ages 4, 6 and 8 — last year, Johnson said. The three were siblings who came from an abusive family. They were receiving counseling after their father’s death, he said.

more at http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/...ing-tragedy-community-say-authorities/?latest
 
$10,000 Reward Offered For Suspects in Shooting

Arkansas police have increased the reward money to $10,000 for information leading to the arrests of the suspects who shot and killed a Salvation Army Major in front of his children on Christmas Eve.

Philip Wise, 40, was gunned down in front of the organization’s community center in North Little Rock as his three young children looked on.

Police describe the suspects as two African-American males who are believed to be 'armed with handguns.'

Snipped from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581387,00.html?test=latestnews
 
I just read about this somewhere else. I was coming here to post it if someone else hadn't.

There's a lot of sad stuff out there, and happening so often, that sometimes I feel desensitized by much of it. But I am simply inconsolable over this. I am losing faith in humanity more than ever and I don't know how to get it back, I really don't.
 
Friends Mourn Maj. Philip Wise
By ART LIMANN
POSTED: December 31, 2009


The death of Salvation Army Maj. Philip Wise - who was gunned down in North Little Rock, Ark., on Christmas Eve - was shock to all who knew him.

Wise was remembered by his friends Wednesday for his more than six years of work with the Moundsville Salvation Army and as a member of the Moundsville Rotary Club. The 40-year-old Weirton native was fatally shot during a robbery while his three children looked on. They were returning to the Salvation Army's North Little Rock office to file paperwork after dropping off two bell ringers on the final day of the organization's annual kettle drive. He and his wife, Cindy, who also is a Salvation Army major, adopted their children - ages 4, 6 and 8 - last year.

Police believe two black men dressed in black clothing, both armed with handguns, approached Wise and his children in the Salvation Army's parking lot. One of the men reportedly demanded money from Wise before the fatal shot was fired.

Nancy Yoho, who worked as a secretary for the Salvation Army during Wise's time in Moundsville between January 2000 and June 2006, now serves as the unit's office manager.

"He was captain when he was here," Yoho said of Wise. "He was just recently promoted to major."

She recalled Wise as a "very good and quiet man who loved the Lord and the work of the (Salvation) Army." She also remembered that he was devoted to his favorite sports teams.

"He loved all aspects of the Army and what he was doing," she said. "It's just hard to describe him. He was a big ol' Dallas Cowboys fan and a Mountaineer fan. He was just a good person."

According to Yoho, Wise loved to help people and loved music. She pointed out that he played the tuba and would bring his instrument into the office to play on occasion.

"For this kind of thing to happen was just unbelievable to me," she said of his murder, which reportedly occurred during a robbery. "If they had just asked him for the money, he would have given it to them. It doesn't make sense.

"He touched a lot of people's lives," she continued. "It's hard to put into words. They were like family to us. It (his death) made it hard for us to enjoy Christmas. It was a bittersweet Christmas. A lot of church people have called to ask if it was actually true.

"I talked with his wife, Cindy, Sunday," Yoho added. "She said she and the kids were holding up pretty well. He always loved children. They adopted the three children, who were siblings, about a year ago. Both were dedicated to the work they did. They were getting ready to come back to Weirton."

Linda Miller, who served with Wise on the Board of the Moundsville Salvation Army, called Wise a "hard worker," citing his efforts with the Moundsville kettle campaign

http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/532663.html?nav=510
 
I keep praying GUILT will consume these criminals and they will turn themselves in....

they were heartless to kill this man infront of his children.
 
Ex-Cop May Have Spotted Suspects

A retired Arkansas police officer said he may have spotted the assailants who gunned down a Salvation Army major in front of his children on Christmas Eve, The North Little Rock Times reported.

The former sheriff’s patrol commander, who spoke to police on the condition of anonymity, said he was driving near the organization’s community center in North Little Rock minutes before Salvation Army Major Philip Wise was gunned down, according to the newspaper.

The retired officer, who provided police with a detailed description of the possible assailants, reported seeing two "suspicious" men dressed in black along with a third man dressed in red standing on a nearby corner.

Snipped from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581229,00.html
 
From October 2010:

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/oct/29/salvation-army-killer-pleads-guilty/

The 19-year-old man charged in the Christmas Eve shooting death of a Salvation Army major pleaded guilty Friday to a murder charge and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Laquan Fitzpatrick was arrested March 16, nearly three months after the Dec. 24, 2009 killing of Philip Wise outside a Salvation Army community center in North Little Rock...

Authorities believed Fitzpatrick and Brandon Leavy were attempting to rob Wise when the shot was fired. Leavy was fatally shot by a security guard during a purported robbery attempt at Dodge's Chicken convenience store in North Little Rock two weeks after Wise was killed.
 

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