LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A shooting at an Arkansas grocery store left three people dead and 10 wounded Friday as the gunman left the store and parked cars riddled with bullet holes and drove passersby into the store and parking lot, authorities said.
The wounded included two police officers who exchanged gunfire with the gunman, state police said. The shooting happened about 11:30 a.m. at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, a city of about 3,200 people 65 miles (104 kilometers) south of Little Rock.
“This is a tragedy and our hearts are broken,” Col. Mike Hager, state police superintendent and public safety director, told reporters Friday.
Both the officer and suspect’s injuries are non-life-threatening, and the remaining injuries range from “non-life-threatening” to “extremely serious,” Haggar said.
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Police did not immediately say whether the shooting happened inside or outside the store. Police did not identify the suspect or victim but said they would release more information Friday evening.
City Councilman Roderick Rogers said he called the county sheriff after employees at a nearby restaurant reported a shooting.
Rogers said when he arrived on the scene he saw people running in all directions, some even running to a nearby hospital.
“People were jumping in their cars to get to safety,” Rogers said.
Video posted to social media showed at least one person lying in the parking lot, while another video showed multiple gunshots ringing out.
Amiyah Dougherty said she was in her mother’s car in a grocery store parking lot when she heard what she thought were fireworks, saw a man aim a gun and fire, then ducked out of sight.
“I held my sister’s hand and told her I loved her,” Dougherty said. KATV, Little Rock.
Images taken by reporters at the scene showed multiple bullet holes in the grocery store’s windows and spent shell casings strewn across the parking lot. Video footage showed local and state agencies rushing to the scene and at least one medical helicopter landing nearby.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she had been briefed on the shooting.
“I am grateful to the police and emergency responders who acted quickly and heroically to save lives,” Sanders wrote in a post on social media platform X. “My prayers go out to the victims and all those affected.”
David Rodriguez, 58, said he had stopped at a gas station in Fordyce to fill up his car when he heard what sounded like fireworks coming from a nearby kiosk.
“I heard a few little noises,” he said.
He then saw people running from the Mad Butcher grocery store into the parking lot and one person lying on the ground. He began taking video on his cellphone before the gunfight escalated.
“Police started arriving, there was a heavy gunfight, ambulances arrived,” he said. “Bullets were flying.”
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Associated Press writer Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed to this report.
