Gentry youth dies of self-inflicted burns

GENTRY — A Gentry youth died Thursday of injuries sustained Wednesday after he allegedly set himself on fire at the fuel pumps of the Gentry E-Z Mart.

Linda Becker, an E-Z Mart employee, grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the flames on Logan Norris, 19, of Gentry, as he ran from the fuel pumps of the Gentry E-Z Mart store, located at 801 West Main Street, during the noon hour on Wednesday. But Gentry police confirmed that Norris died of his injuries early Thursday afternoon at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla.

Norris, according to Gentry Police Chief Keith Smith, was “distraught over the breakup of a relationship and stated he would harm himself.”

Gentry police had already received a call about Norris a few minutes earlier and were looking forhim when the second call came in about the fire at E-Z Mart Store at about 12:20 p.m.

Norris pulled up to the gas pumps at E-Z Mart in a gold-colored Ford Focus to get fuel and allegedly pumped a small amount of gasoline on himself and ignited himself, according to Smith.

“We believe Norris ignited himself with a cigarette lighter,” Smith said.

Gentry Police and Fire Department personnel, as well as an ambulance squad from Siloam Springs, responded to the E-Z Mart. Norris was attended to by first responders and the fire department, Smith said.After being treated in the ambulance, he was transported by Air Evac helicopter to the burn unit at Hillcrest Medical Center, according to Smith.

Norris sustained second- and third-degree burns to a large portion of his body, according to Gentry Fire Chief Vester Cripps.