Fordyce, Ark. — A tragic incident unfolded on Friday when a gunman opened fire at a local grocery store, resulting in four fatalities and several injuries including two law enforcement officers. State police reported that the violence began in the morning outside the Mad Butcher store, leading to immediate and swift response from local authorities.
Authorities received distress calls around 11:40 a.m., prompting immediate law enforcement action. The assailant engaged in a shootout with the officers before being apprehended. According to Mike Hagar, director of the Arkansas State Police, the injuries sustained by the two officers are not life-threatening, while several other victims were in critical condition.
Initially, police confirmed three deaths, but by Saturday evening, one more individual succumbed to their wounds, raising the toll to four. The deceased were identified as Shirley Taylor, 62, Callie Weems, 23, Roy Sturgis, 50, and Ellen Shrum, 81. Meanwhile, the condition of the gunman, who was also injured during the exchange, is reportedly not critical.
The suspected shooter, a 44-year-old Travis Eugene Posey from New Edinburg, a small community close to Fordyce, is facing charges. State police announced that Posey will be charged with four counts of capital murder, with the possibility of additional charges being filed as the investigation progresses.
Fordyce, a town situated nearly 70 miles south of Little Rock, is a close-knit community with a population just over 3,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This unforeseen violence has shocked the ordinarily peaceful area. One resident, Nancy Brazil, described the harrowing experience of narrowly escaping the line of fire during what was supposed to be a routine grocery run with her parents. Her father, Thomas Brazil Sr., 65, experienced a close call when a bullet grazed his forehead, though he was not critically injured.
“It’s a blessing they are okay,” Brazil relayed, her relief palpable despite the harrowing ordeal that left her parents’ car riddled with more than 20 bullet holes. Reflecting on the shooting, Brazil expressed her disbelief, noting the rarity of such incidents in their small town where “everybody knows everybody.”
The state’s governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, expressed her gratitude towards the first responders for their heroic efforts amidst the chaos. She acknowledged the gravity of the situation in a statement, offering prayers for the victims and all those affected by this devastating event.
As the community reels from this tragedy, the investigation continues as officials work to determine a motive, attempting to understand what led to such a violent outbreak in their small, normally tranquil town. Meanwhile, the fabric of this close community has been indelibly altered, leaving residents and families to mourn their losses and begin the difficult journey towards healing.