According to WJBF.com, medical officials at Mercy Hospital in Rogers, Ark., contacted Benton County Sheriff's department about a patient who had been shot mulitple times. Rogers and Benton County are in northwest Arkansas.

Deputy Dorian Hendricks responded to investigate and talked with Ferris. According to the sheriff's department affidavit, Ferris said he and Hicks went to some nearby woods to meet a man but a gunfight erupted when someone from the edge of a tree line began shooting at him and the "asset" on Highway 12. Ferris did not name the "asset" but said he had been hit multiple times and the "asset" drove him back to his vehicle, and he drove himself to the hospital.

However, Ferris' wife arrived at the hospital and said Ferris and Hicks shot each other while drinking on the back porch of their home. Ferris admitted he concocted the story because he did not want to get Hicks in trouble. After being shot he told his wife he was fine, but later complained of pain and she convinced him to drive to the hospital.

Ferris told investigators the real story; while drinking, he wanted Hicks to shoot him while wearing the vest. Hicks did, with a .22 rifle, and hit Ferris in the top left part of the vest. It left a mark and made Ferris mad. Hicks then put on the vest, and Ferris "unloaded the clip into Hicks' back," according to the police report.