A gunman opened fire at an Arkansas grocery store Friday, killing at least two and wounding several others, authorities said.
The deadly incident unfolded about 11:30 a.m. CT at the Mad Butcher in Fordyce, a small town about 70 miles south of Little Rock.
“Seven of the shooting victims were civilians, with two fatalities. One law enforcement officer was also shot and has non-life-threatening injuries,” Arkansas State Police said in a statement.
The shooter was critically wounded by police and taken into custody, police said.
Meat cutter Matt Gill was in the back of the store when he heard gunfire and shattering glass.
“He came in and started shooting,” Gill told NBC News. “We made it out the back door. I had to get out there, I have a wife and kids at home.”
The shooting appeared to begin in the parking lot as sisters Amiya and Ashiya Doherty were in the back of the family SUV when they were nearly struck.
“He shot at my mother’s car and hit the tire and pssshshsh,” Amiya said, mimicking the sound of air escaping.
Car windows all around them were shot, but somehow the sisters’ SUV only had tire damage. Amiya said she grabbed her sister Ashiya and pulled her down to avoid rounds.
“It was like a movie,” said Ashiya, who was also unharmed.
The carnage stunned Roderick Rogers, a Fordyce native and pastor at Grace United Church.
“I saw people just lying in the parking lot,” he said. “There were shots going on everywhere.”
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders praised authorities for their immediate reaction.
“I am thankful to law enforcement and first responders for their quick and heroic action to save lives,” she said in a statement.
Fordyce is a city with a population of 3,396 and a median household income of $35,116, that is less than half the nationwide median of $74,580, according to the U.S. Census Bureau data.
The Arkansas attack follows a mass shooting in Oakland, California on Wednesday, when 15 people were wounded during Juneteenth events near Lake Merritt, officials said.
Also on Wednesday, seven people were injured after a shooting in Philadelphia, officials said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
