A devastating shooting at a grocery store in Fordyce, Arkansas, has claimed the lives of four people and left nine others injured, including two law enforcement officers. The incident occurred on Friday at the Mad Butcher grocery store, located 65 miles south of Little Rock, and has left the community reeling in shock.
According to authorities, the suspect, Travis Eugene Posey, 44, of New Edinburg, opened fire at the store, wounding nine people and riddling cars with bullet holes. The dead are identified as Shirley Taylor, 62, Callie Weems, 23, Roy Sturgis, 50, and Ellen Shrum, 81. The wounded range in age from 20 to 65, with four still hospitalized, including a woman who is in critical condition.
Two law enforcement officers, Fordyce Police Officer James Johnson, 31, and Stuttgart Police Officer John Hudson, 24, were also hit by gunfire. Johnson was released from the hospital Saturday evening, while Hudson suffered minor injuries. The suspect, Posey, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement and was released from the hospital to police custody. He is expected to be charged with four counts of capital murder.
Arkansas Grocery Store Massacre
Authorities have not released a motive for the shooting, and a media briefing is scheduled for Sunday to update the public. As the investigation continues, officials have been tight-lipped about the suspect’s representation, with the Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office confirming that Posey is being held at the detention center but having no information about who might be representing him.
Community leaders have been working to support those affected by the shooting, including establishing a memorial fund for the victims and their families. Roderick Rogers, a member of the city council, witnessed the chaos after being notified by employees at his nearby restaurant. “People were just jumping into cars to get to safety,” Rogers said.
The shooting is the latest in a string of mass shootings that have occurred at grocery stores across the country, including a 2022 shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, that killed 10 people. As the investigation continues, officials are working to piece together the events leading up to the shooting and to bring justice to the victims and their families.
