Governor Asa Hutchinson has directed the United States flag and the state flag of Arkansas to be lowered to half-staff for West Memphis Firefighter Jason Lang and Sergeant Joshua Caudell with the Department of Corrections.

On the morning of Saturday, February 26, Firefighter Lang was traveling to Pine Bluff to attend an EMT clinical training class. He stopped to provide assistance during a traffic incident on the side of the interstate. As he was responding to the accident, he was fatally struck by a passing 18-wheeler truck.

Sgt. Caudell was a member of the Department of Corrections K-9 tracking team. On Monday morning, February 28, he was fatally wounded while assisting the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office with a manhunt.

In tribute to their memory and as an expression of public sorrow, flags will be lowered to half-staff from today, February 28, 2022, to Wednesday, March 2, 2022, for Firefighter Lang and to Saturday, March 5, 2022, for Sgt. Caudell.