Shooting at grocery store in south Arkansas kills 2 and wounds 8 others, police say

By The Associated Press on June 21, 2024.

FORDYCE, Ark. (AP) – Two people were killed and eight wounded in a shooting that occurred Friday at a grocery store in south Arkansas, police said.

Arkansas State Police said the shooting occurred at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce and that the suspected shooter was critically injured after being shot by police. A law enforcement officer was among those shot, but did not have life-threatening injuries.

Police did not immediately say whether shooting occurred inside or outside the store.

Fordyce is a city of about 3,200 people located 65 miles (104 kilometers) south of Little Rock. Video posted on social media showed at least one person lying in the parking lot, while another captured multiple gunshots ringing out.

Images from TV reporters on the scene showed a slew of bullet holes in the grocery store’s window. In video footage, local and state agencies could be seen responding to the scene, with at least one medical helicopter landing nearby.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she had been briefed on the shooting.

“I am thankful to law enforcement and first responders for their quick and heroic action to save lives,” Sanders posted on the social media platform X. “My prayers are with the victims and all those impacted by this.”

David Rodriguez, 58, had stopped at his local gas station in Fordyce to fill up his car when he heard what he thought were fireworks from a nearby vendor’s stand.

“We heard a few little pops,” he said.

He then saw people running from the Mad Butcher grocery store into the parking lot, and one person lying on the ground. He began recording video with his phone before the gunfire escalated.

“The police started to show up, and then there was massive gunfire and ambulances pulling up,” he said. “The bullets were just flying.”