Major Philip Wise worked for the Salvation Army for more than 16 years before being gunned down on Christmas Eve at his Little Rock, Arkansas location.  Police say his three children witnessed their father’s murder with their own eyes. I spoke to Sgt. Terry Kuykendall from the North Little Rock police department this afternoon, and he told me Major Wise had just returned to the Salvation Army after bringing bell ringers home.  Major Wise and his three children, ages 4, 6 and 8, parked around back of the building and were walking in when two men tried to rob him in the pouring rain. 

Sgt. Kuykendall says the suspects shot Major Wise, left him for dead in a doorway, and fled on foot.  The children, who were the only first-hand witnesses of this murder, and were questioned immediately after the shooting to get as many details as possible on the killers.  Police will not say if the men were able to get any money, but they do say the suspects were armed with handguns, and were last seen running toward government assisted housing in the area.  This Salvation Army building is an independent site located in a residential neighborhood, there are not many stores with surveillance nearby to capture images of the killers.  Patrol officers are canvassing the neighborhoods, talking to residents, and trying to develop more leads on the suspects.  About 185 officers police nearly 67,000 residents.

I spoke with Kathy Barberire at the Salvation Army headquarters in Arkansas this morning.  She told me Major Wise and his wife Major Cindy were coming to the end of their Christmas Eve work, they planned to spend time with their family in West Virginia before he was  gunned down.  The location where the murder took place is the Bearing Cross Salvation Army that has a food pantry, children’s programs, and church services.  Major Cindy even spoke at the church service yesterday and told the congregation that she knows God’s work is not done there. Somehow, Major Cindy got up the strength to be at work today — the very location where her husband was gunned down just a few days before.  She is on location until the end of the day helping people in the community. Kathy Barberire says, “The officers take that duty very seriously,” and not much would stop any of them from missing a day of work.  Major Philip Wise was passionate about music and children’s music camps.  He played several instruments including a bug tuba, and just this year, he and his wife got a grant to build a children’s music program in Little Rock.  An anonymous tipster, believed to be in law enforcement, told authorities he saw one man outside waiting as the two other men made the robbery attempt and killing.  Police are asking the public for help, if you have any information, please contact them:  (501) 758-1234 – Let’s get this family justice for this senseless killing.

Donations to the family and reward fund are growing, and by the end of today, I will have information for you to donate funds to help this family and this center.