A quiet evening in England, Arkansas on January 5, 2026, ended in violence when 49-year-old Jeffery Atkins was shot just before 7:00 p.m. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead. The shooting has left his family and the community in shock.

Family members described Atkins as someone who could hold a conversation for hours. His wife, Diana, received a distressing call from Atkins’ mother shortly after the shooting, and his daughter Ania said she felt profound grief and numbness. The England Police Department and the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office investigated the scene and arrested a suspect who has been charged with murder in the first degree; authorities have not identified the person arrested because of the suspect’s age. The investigation remains ongoing.

If anyone in England or Lonoke County has information about Jeffery Atkins, please come forward to assist investigators.