Salvation Army officer in Arkansas slain by gunmen

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Major Philip Wise fatally shot on Christmas Eve in front of his children.

With no leads and very little evidence, the shooting of Corps Officer Major Philip Wise, North Little Rock, Ark., corps, Central Arkansas Area Command, on Dec. 24, 2009, remains unsolved.

Wise had just completed a day of bell ringing. He had taken two other bell ringers home and was returning to the offices to pick up his wife and then head home.

Standing in front of the corps building with his three children—ages 4, 6 and 8—at his side, two armed gunmen approached him demanding money then shot him. His wife Cindy came outside and called 911; however, Wise was already dead when the police arrived.

The police are looking for two male suspects—both seen running from the crime—believed to be in their teens or early 20s.

An original reward of $1,000 was offered for information but, according to investigators, many people outside of Arkansas have called to donate, increasing the total to $10,000.

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