The executive director of the Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, was shot Tuesday as federal agents arrived at his home to serve a search warrant, police said.
Bryan Malinowski, 53, the airport’s executive director, was injured during a firefight after 6 a.m. as Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents arrived.
He “was injured with gunshot wounds and treated on scene by paramedics before being transported to a local hospital,” Arkansas State Police said in a statement, adding that his condition was unknown as of 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.
One ATF agent received what police called a “non-life-threatening gunshot wound” and was also taken to a hospital, police said.
Malinowski’s older brother, Matthew Malinowski, 55 of Pennsylvania, was at his bedside Wednesday and said he didn’t know whether his brother would survive.
“We don’t know if he’s going to make it in the next 24 hours,” Matthew Malinowski told NBC News by phone in his first public comments. “He was shot in the head.”
Matthew Malinowski said his brother was on life support and doctors haven’t performed surgery “because they don’t think he’s gonna make it.”
He said Bryan Malinowski collected guns and other weapons, as well as coins, lived in an upper-middle class suburb and earned $253,000 a year.
“He has so much to lose,” the brother said.
A public records search of Bryan Malinowski showed no arrests or other run-ins with police.
Shea De Bruyn, a neighbor, told NBC News’ affiliate KARK of Little Rock that she was woken by five or six loud bangs.
“My heart was racing and the dogs were barking.” she said. “I’m just really curious as to what was going on just a few houses down.”
Neighbors also told KARK that on Tuesday evening they saw guns and ammunition being loaded onto a trailer, while firefighters carried a circular saw, crowbars and other tools into the house.
Matthew Malinowski said his brother met with Arkansas senators last week in Washington for official airport business.
“That tells you the circles he’s running in,” the older brother said.
The state police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the case.
Hellbound and Down 
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