Gunman kills 3, injures 10 in grocery store shooting
Tragedy struck Fordyce, Arkansas, when a gunman opened fire inside a local grocery store, leaving three people dead and ten others wounded, including two police officers.
The incident occurred at the Mad Butcher grocery store, prompting a swift response from law enforcement.
Arkansas State Police received initial reports of an active shooter at approximately 11:30 a.m. local time. Responding officers engaged in gunfire with the lone suspect, identified as 44-year-old Travis Eugene Posey, a resident of New Edinburg.
Posey sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the exchange and was subsequently taken into custody.
According to Mike Harger, Secretary of Public Safety and Director of Arkansas State Police, the situation was contained quickly, with no further threats to the community.
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Harger confirmed that the injuries sustained by the officers and the suspect were not life-threatening. However, the civilian casualties ranged from non-life-threatening to critically severe.
Posey is expected to face charges of three counts of capital murder, with additional charges pending as the investigation progresses.
He was treated for his injuries and transferred to the Ouachita County Detention Center. It remains unclear whether Posey has retained legal representation at this time.
The tragic incident adds to a concerning trend of public shootings in the United States, with data from the Gun Violence Archive reporting at least 234 mass shootings in 2024 alone.
The frequency of such incidents has escalated in recent weeks, coinciding with the onset of summer.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and chaos as the gunfire erupted. David Rodriguez, who was nearby at a gas station, initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks before realising the severity of the situation.
He witnessed people fleeing from the grocery store as law enforcement arrived swiftly on the scene.
Matthew Gill, the meat manager at the store, recounted how the gunman entered with a shotgun, leading to an exchange of gunfire with police. Some individuals sought refuge in a cooler within the store amidst the terrifying ordeal.
Roderick Rogers, a Fordyce City Council Member, shared the community’s shock and grief, emphasizing the need for support and counseling for those affected by the traumatic event.
Fordyce, a small city located in southeast Dallas County, now grapples with the aftermath of this senseless act of violence as authorities continue their investigation into the motive behind the shooting.
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