LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Police have reported that a fourth victim has passed away following a shooting incident at a grocery store in Arkansas. The shooter opened fire, injuring nine others and riddling cars with bullets as bystanders desperately sought shelter.
The individual died on Saturday evening, Arkansas state police announced in a statement, reporting a total of 14 individuals struck by gunfire: “11 civilians, two law enforcement officers and the suspect.”
The deceased have been identified as Shirley Taylor, 62, Callie Weems, 23, Roy Sturgis, 50, and Ellen Shrum, 81 — “all civilians,” according to the statement.
The wounded individuals range in age from 20 to 65, police said. Four remain hospitalized, including a woman in critical condition.
The injured officers were identified as Fordyce Police Officer James Johnson, 31, who was discharged from a hospital Saturday evening, and Stuttgart Police Officer John Hudson, 24, whose injuries were described as minor.
Authorities have identified the suspect as Travis Eugene Posey, 44, of New Edinburg, and stated he will face four counts of capital murder.
“He was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement” and was subsequently released into police custody and transported to the Ouachita County Detention Center, police stated in their announcement.
Police have not disclosed a motive for the shooting. A media briefing to provide updates on the shooting is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday.
As of Friday, a state police spokesperson indicated they were uncertain if Posey had legal representation, and there was no immediate response to a phone message left with the agency’s public information office Saturday night. The Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Saturday that he was being held at the detention center but did not have information regarding a potential lawyer. An online inmate record for him was not yet available.
The shooting occurred around 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, a town of approximately 3,200 people located 65 miles (104 kilometers) south of Little Rock.
Roderick Rogers, a city council member, stated he contacted the sheriff after employees at his nearby restaurant alerted him to the shooting. Upon arriving at the scene, he witnessed people scattering in every direction for safety, including one individual running to the nearby hospital.
“People were just jumping into cars to get to safety,” Rogers remarked Friday.
Videos shared on social media platforms displayed at least one person lying in the parking lot, while another captured the sounds of multiple gunshots.
Images provided by reporters at the scene showcased a multitude of bullet holes in the store’s window, along with spent shell casings scattered throughout the parking lot. Video footage captured local and state agencies responding, with at least one medical helicopter landing nearby.
This incident marks the latest mass shooting to unfold at a grocery store. In 2022, a white supremacist fatally shot 10 Black individuals at a Buffalo supermarket. This occurred a little over a year after 10 people were killed in a supermarket shooting in Boulder, Colorado.