3 dead, 10 injured in mass shooting at grocery store in Arkansas

FORDYCE, Arkansas – A mass shooting at a Fordyce grocery store left a community in ruins after more than a dozen people were shot Friday.

Here’s everything we know about the incident so far.

In total, 13 people were shot in the incident, including two local police officers and the suspect who opened fire. Here’s a breakdown of the casualties.

Three people were killed and eight other civilians injured when a gunman opened fire at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce around 11:30 a.m. Friday.

In addition, two police officers were injured in the incident and are expected to recover soon.

Authorities have not yet said whether the shooting occurred inside or outside the grocery store.

Colonel Mike Hagar of the Arkansas State Police said the situation was “safe and under control” because the shooter was in custody.

“It is tragic and our hearts are broken,” Hagar said. “Our prayers, along with those of Governor Sanders and the entire state of Arkansas, are with this community and the victims affected.”

Fordyce is a town of about 3,200 residents and is located 104 kilometers south of Little Rock.

Videos posted on social media showed at least one person lying in the parking lot, and another showed several gunshots.

David Rodriguez, 58, who recorded one of the viral social media videos, had stopped at a local gas station in Fordyce when he thought he heard fireworks from a nearby dealership.

“We heard some faint popping noises,” Rodriguez said.

He said that people then ran from the Mad Butcher grocery store into the parking lot. That’s when he took out his phone and started recording the scene.

“The police came,” Rodriguez said. “Then there was massive gunfire and ambulances arrived… bullets were flying.”

Our reporters were on the scene and reported that they discovered a number of bullet holes in the grocery store window. One person even said they hid in a freezer for protection.

It is the latest mass shooting at a grocery store since a white supremacist killed 10 black people at a Buffalo supermarket in 2022. This shooting occurred just over a year after a shooting at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, that also killed 10 people.

Hagar said there was a shooter and police immediately arrived on the scene and “exchanged gunfire on the sole suspect.”

The identity and motive of the shooter are currently unknown. It is also unclear which weapon was used in the incident.

Initial reports said the shooter was “seriously injured,” but Hagar clarified that the injuries were not life-threatening.

The primary investigative agency is the Arkansas State Police. Hagar said they are in constant contact with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who has provided “all necessary resources” to assist with the investigation.

Sanders said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she had been informed of the situation and her “prayers are with the victims and those affected.”

“I have been notified of the tragic shooting in Fordyce and am in constant contact with State Police on the scene,” Sanders said. “I am grateful to law enforcement and first responders for their quick and heroic actions to save lives. My prayers are with the victims and all those affected by this horrific incident.”

The identity of the victims is currently unknown.

We will update this story with more information as it becomes available.The Associated Press contributed to this article.