A shooting outside a grocery store in Fordyce, Arkansas on Friday left 3 people dead and 10 others injured. Two law enforcement officers were among the injured, but their conditions were not life-threatening, police said at an afternoon news conference.
Arkansas State Police responded to Matt’s Butcher Grocery at 11:38 a.m. local time Friday. Upon arrival, officers engaged in an exchange of gunfire with the same suspect, officials said.
A video clip from the scene shows a man armed with a gun in the parking lot shooting at officers.
The shooter was wounded and taken into custody, police said, adding that the suspect’s injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Arkansas Department of Public Safety Director Mike Hagar said at the conference that eight civilians were injured with injuries ranging from non-life-threatening to critical.
“The situation is safe and contained. There are no active threats to the community,” Hagar said.
A witness named David Rodriguez was at a gas station next to the grocery store when the shooting began. He told CBS News that he walked into the gas station and “heard some noise” and at first thought it was fireworks. Then, hearing sirens and seeing police pull over, “people started running everywhere,” he said.
Rodriguez grabbed his cell phone and began filming moments after hearing the footage. “There’s someone lying in the parking lot,” he can be heard saying.
“It was very scary,” Rodriguez told CBS News.
Ken Vanderswalm, who works three doors down from the grocery store at a lawn mower supplier, told CBS News that several people ran into his store, “crying and screaming” when the shooting started. Former police officer Vanderswalm, who said he was armed, said he let people know they would be “safe” inside the building.
“We had a lot of kids who were really shocked,” he said.
Vanderswalm said he was shocked and described it as “something you see on TV” where gunfire continued.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on social media: “I have been briefed on the tragic shooting in Fordyce and am in constant contact with state police at the scene. I thank law enforcement and first responders for their swift and heroic action to save lives. My prayers go out to the victims and all affected by this.”
Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Special agents from ATF’s New Orleans Field Office are on scene and responding to the shooting.
The White House released a statement saying, “We are grateful to the law enforcement officials who put themselves in harm’s way by engaging the suspect and taking him into custody. Federal law enforcement is assisting the local investigation.”
