Three people were killed and 10 others — including two law enforcement officers — were injured Friday morning in Fordyce when a lone gunman opened fire at the Mad Butcher grocery store, according to authorities.
The shooter, identified by Arkansas State Police as Travis Eugene Posey, 44, of New Edinburg, was in custody after being injured by gunfire. Posey, who is known as “Joey,” works as a log truck driver. The motive for the shooting was unknown.
Arkansas State Police Director Col. Mike Hagar said at a news conference Friday afternoon that the scene was under control.
“The situation is currently secured and contained,” he said from the Relyance Bank parking lot, which is next-door to the grocery store. “At 11:38, a call came in to 911 saying there was an active shooter in the Mad Butcher grocery. Law enforcement responded immediately.”
As of Friday evening, three people who were yet to be identified had died of their wounds. Of the other eight civilians, some had life-threatening injuries while others were not as critical. The two officers who were wounded are said to have injuries that were not life-threatening. Posey, who was also treated for non-life-threatening injuries he sustained when he was hit by return gunfire from police, was taken to the Ouachita County Detention Center, state police said. Hagar said Posey will be charged with three counts of capital murder with other charges pending.
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After getting immediate attention at Dallas County Medical Center, several of the injured were quickly airlifted to Little Rock for critical care treatment.
Mad Butcher dairy department manager Jeremiah Johnson was in the store at the time of the incident.
“The guy came in the front door with a 12-gauge shotgun and fired between 20 and 30 times,” he said. “Once I realized what was happening, I told everyone on my aisle to head for the back door with me. The meat department manager was helping other customers and employees make it to the exit. I saw one of the produce department guys shot in the chest.” Johnson said that upon opening the rear door, they heard the sound of gunfire, which made them retreat back inside the store. The people trying to flee the store eventually made it out the side loading dock door and ran toward the neighboring Rent-a-Center business and sheltered behind automobiles parked in front of the building.
From there Johnson said he saw the shooter and police exchange gunfire in the parking lot. At this point, he said, the shooter had switched from a shotgun to an AR-type semi-automatic weapon. He saw one officer shot and watched as the shooter was struck down by return fire.
“I almost wished I’d have stayed home from work today, but I’m glad I didn’t because maybe I helped save some of our customers’ lives,” Johnson said.
Another Mad Butcher employee in the store at the time was Phillip Thrower, who said he didn’t know what he was hearing at first when the gunfire started.
“I was heading to the front to start sacking groceries,” he said. “At first I thought it was firecrackers from the neighboring fireworks stand. Then the front glass shattered. We all started running toward the back door.”
Thrower, like Johnson, said that upon opening the rear door, the sound of gunshots made everyone stop and look for another way out. Thrower ended up sheltering in the dairy cooler.
At the time of the incident, Ronald Clayton Sr. and his wife were just turning into the grocery store parking lot on the main business thoroughfare out of town.
“We pulled up to get groceries and got right in the middle of it,” Clayton said. “At first I thought kids were throwing rocks at our car until I got out and bullets were ricocheting everywhere.”
Clayton said he got back in his vehicle and shoved his wife’s head into the floorboard.
“I took off driving down the side street around the block before I had to stop with a flat tire,” he said. Along with the shot-out tire, the car had 21 bullet holes in it along with multiple hits to the windshield.
Fay Pierce, who operates a real estate business across West Fourth Street from the Mad Butcher, said he saw the scene unfold.
“I was standing at the front door watching the boy swing his weapon back and forth spraying bullets all around,” Pierce said. “He scattered shells all over that parking lot. I saw him run up on a lady in the parking lot and shoot her, then he shot some kid who was walking up the street. He’d stop and run around two or three cars then open up again. He shot one girl in an SUV and she drove her vehicle into the fireworks tent. I called 911 and told them what was happening. The police arrived in less than 10 minutes.”
“From now on we’ll think about this every time we come to the grocery store,” one onlooker said.
Dallas County Judge Chris Stanfield said the community was heartbroken.
“We send out our condolences to all the victims and their families and to our community as a whole,” Stanfield said. “Everyone is in our thoughts and prayers.”
A pile of ejected automatic rifle hulls were left from the shooting rampage at Fordyce on Friday. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
Fordyce Mayor John MacNichol (center) and law enforcement officers were on the scene within minutes of the 911 call. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
Multiple med-flight evacuations bearing shooting victims left Dallas County Medical Center during the first hour following the shooting rampage. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
Ronald Clayton Sr. stands next to his car with 21 bullet holes in it. He said, ‘When I pulled into the grocery store parking lot, I thought some kids were throwing rocks until I stepped out and bullets were ricocheting off the vehicle.'” (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
Law enforcement officers from several counties converged on the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce Friday immediately following an active shooter incident in which 11 civilians, two law enforcement and the shooting suspect were all wounded. Three people died. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
State Police Director Col. Mike Hagar flanked by an entourage convened a press conference in the Fordyce Relyance Bank parking lot regarding the Friday active shooter incident in downtown Fordyce. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
Arkansas State Police Director Col. Mike Hagar issued a brief statement to the press saying 11 citizens, two law enforcement officers, and the active shooter all received gunshot injuries at an incident in Fordyce that occurred Friday morning. Three people have died. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
A Fordyce Police Department automobile is riddled with bullet holes and stained with a local officer’s blood. The officer received non-life threatening injuries. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)
The alleged shooter was shot down in the Mad Butcher parking lot Friday. He is pictured here being treated for critical gunshot wounds. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)