A violent incident unfolded on Friday at a grocery store in Fordyce, Arkansas, leaving three people dead and 10 others injured, according to state authorities. The Mad Butcher grocery store and nearby parked cars were left peppered with bullet holes as terrified bystanders sought refuge both inside the store and in the parking lot.
Among the injured were two law enforcement officers who engaged in a gunfight with the shooter, as reported by state police. The shooting took place around 11:30 a.m. in Fordyce, a small city of approximately 3,200 residents situated 65 miles south of Little Rock.
Col. Mike Hagar, the director of state police and public safety secretary, expressed his sorrow over the tragic event. He confirmed that neither the officers nor the shooter sustained life-threatening injuries. However, the condition of the other victims varied from non-life-threatening to extremely critical.
This incident adds to a growing list of mass shootings that have occurred in grocery stores. In 2022, a white supremacist killed 10 Black individuals at a Buffalo supermarket. This followed a similar incident at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket where 10 people lost their lives.
Authorities have yet to disclose whether the shooting took place inside or outside the grocery store. The identity of the shooter and the victims have also not been released, but further information is expected to be made available.
City Council member Roderick Rogers recounted how he alerted the county sheriff after being informed of the shooting by his restaurant employees. Upon arriving at the scene, he witnessed people fleeing in all directions, with some even running towards a nearby hospital.
Social media footage showed a person lying in the parking lot and the sound of multiple gunshots. The aftermath of the shooting was evident in the bullet-riddled grocery store window and spent shell casings scattered across the parking lot. Video footage showed local and state agencies responding, with at least one medical helicopter landing nearby.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed her gratitude to law enforcement and first responders for their swift and heroic actions. President Joe Biden has also been briefed on the incident, according to the White House.
David Rodriguez, a local resident, was at a nearby gas station when he heard what he initially thought were fireworks. He soon realized the gravity of the situation when he saw people running from the grocery store and one person lying on the ground. He began recording the incident on his phone as the situation escalated with the arrival of police and ambulances.