Arkansas airport executive fatally shot amid weapons investigation

Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock is the largest airport in Arkansas. His executive director, Bryan Malinowski, was suspected of selling guns illegally. During an ATF search of his house, Malinowski was shot in the head and died.

Bryan Malinowski was suspected of purchasing over 100 weapons between May 2021 and February this year and illegally selling many of them. According to NBC News, six of the guns Malinowski sold are linked to subsequent crimes, and three were purchased at a gun show by undercover ATF officers.

The investigation against Malinowski began in November 2023, when, in Canada, the serial numbers of the weapon used to commit the crime were linked to the one sold by the airport's executive director. No charges have been filed against Malinowski, and on Tuesday morning, the ATF visited his home with a search warrant to look for evidence of the crimes he allegedly committed.

Bryan Malinowski opened fire on ATF agents trying to serve him a search warrant, according to Arkansas police. The officers then responded in kind and shot the suspect. According to the deceased's family, he was shot in the head.

The Arkansas State Police (ASP) Criminal Investigation Division is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred today around 6 a.m. at 4 Durance Court, Little Rock, while the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was serving a federal search warrant. Bryan Malinowski, 53, was injured with gunshot wounds and treated on scene by paramedics before being transported to a local hospital. His condition is unknown. An ATF agent was injured with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital," stated Arkansas State Police in a statement posted on March 19 on its official website. Malinowski died on Thursday.

Sources: Arkansas State Police, The New York Times, NBC News