In what may be the most Arkansas story of the year so far, a Hot Spring County man was shot by State Police and arrested after holding up a Dollar General store with a rifle and fleeing the scene on a tractor.

Tyler McWaters, 28 and of Traskwood, entered the Dollar General in Glen Rose in Hot Spring County with a rifle and stole merchandise from the store before fleeing.

Sheriff's deputies and State Troopers found McWaters at his residence on Thunderbird Loop, where McWaters fled to a neighboring property while carrying a rifle. As he was being pursued, he fired at the officers. Law enforcement returned fire, striking McWaters. He was taken into custody and received medical attention on site for non-life-threatening injuries, then transported to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock for further treatment.

The Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the shooting.

Facebook photos from an account that appears to be associated with McWaters show him standing in front of a Confederate flag and flipping off the camera. McWaters also appears to have a tattoo on his chest that says "13 ½." The expression may be a reference to what a defendant faces in court, with 12 jurors, one judge and half a chance, according to an internet search.

The Dollar General incident wasn't McWaters' first run-in with the law. In 2017, McWaters was accused of being part of a trio who stole a Polaris Model 500 ATV and a church van from the Glen Rose Baptist Church. When authorities approached McWaters' mother about the vehicle thefts, she asked, "What did my son do now?" according to court records.

McWaters later pleaded guilty to two felonies related to theft of property and a misdemeanor for unauthorized use of a vehicle. Records show McWaters was sentenced to five years probation for the theft of property and one year of probation for the unauthorized use of a vehicle.