Suspect in gay bar attack dies after gunfight with police

Sunday, February 5, 2006

The man who was suspected of attacking three men in a gay bar in Massachusetts died early Sunday morning after being shot in a gun battle with Arkansas State Police.

Jacob D. Robida, 18, fled Massachusetts on Friday after a warrant was put out for his arrest in the aforementioned gay bar attack. Along the way he picked up his girlfriend, 33-year-old Jennifer Rena Bailey, in Charleston, West Virginia. Robida was pulled over in a traffic stop by Gassville, Arkansas Police Officer Jim Sell. Sell asked Robida to get out of the car, and Robida shot him three times before getting back in the car and leaving. A witness called 911, but Sell died at the scene.

Robida led Baxter County, Arkansas sheriff’s officers and Arkansas State Police officers on a high-speed chase. Robida ran over spike strips in Norfolk and drove on two flat tires for a while. He ultimately wrecked his car into some parked vehicles while trying to avoid a roadblock on Arkansas State Road 5. Robida shot at the officers, who returned fire, shooting Robida twice in the head. Bailey was killed in the gunfight; though some witness said Robida shot her before firing on the officers, an autopsy and forensic investigation will determine how she died.

Robida was rushed to Cox-South Hospital in Springfield, Arkansas, where he was pronounced dead at 3:38 a.m. CST (0938 UTC).