A case that started as a reported battery in southwest Little Rock turned into a homicide investigation Wednesday after the victim died from his injuries. Police say 55-year-old Kenneth Brown was shot during the incident and later died at a local hospital, and a suspect is now facing a first-degree murder charge.
Little Rock police said 12th Street patrol officers responded to the 3600 block of West Roosevelt Road at 8:08 a.m. on November 4 for a reported shooting, according to KATV. Officers arrived to find Brown suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries, prompting investigators to upgrade what had initially been classified as a battery case to a homicide.
Suspect Taken Into Custody Same Day
Later on November 4, police identified Malik Ali as a suspect in the shooting and took him into custody. He has since been charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by certain persons, per the station's report. No further details about what led up to the shooting, including any relationship between Brown and Ali, have been released.
Police described the case as an ongoing investigation and said more information would be released as it becomes available. The department has not yet disclosed additional specifics about the circumstances surrounding the shooting or the original battery complaint that preceded it.
Part of a Mixed Crime Picture in Little Rock
The shooting comes amid a complicated crime trend for the city. Little Rock's combined tally of violent and property crime fell 19% in the first half of 2025 compared with the five-year average, Mayor Frank Scott announced, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. At the same time, homicides in the city were reported to be up compared to the previous year, underscoring that even as overall crime numbers have improved, killings like Brown's remain a persistent challenge for the city.
For now, the investigation into Brown's death remains active, and police have not indicated when additional details might be released.
