Two killed and several hurt in shooting at Fordyce, Arkansas grocery store: Live

A retired police officer described a chaotic scene in Fordyce as rapid gunfire rang out through the area.

Ken Van Der Zwalm, who works round the corner from the Mad Butcher supermarket, said he saw people “running everywhere” including little children who were “traumatized” by the incident.

“I was outside and I heard what I thought somebody was throwing stuff in the dumpster,” he told The Independent.

“That’s kind of what it sounded like.”“I said, ‘well, that’s too much stuff going in the dumpster,’ so I got to listening, and it was actually rapid fire from a gun, because it was a deeper sound.

“I listened to it for a while, and then the news started coming out. People were running everywhere, and we had several people that ran to the store that were screaming and crying, and little children traumatized by what was going on.

“So we gave them refuge in the store, as a former police officer, I was armed. I told them that they were safe where were they were.

“We kept the children safe, and waited till their family or somebody come to pick them up.”

Army veteran Ronald Clayton described the moment that he realized bullets were hitting his car as he pulled into the Mad Butcher grocery store on Friday.

Clayton told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette that he and his wife were pulling into the parking lot of the grocery store when he though he heard something hitting his car’s windshield.

“I thought there was kids in them trees throwing rocks,” Clayton told the Gazette.

After realizing the sounds were from bullets, he pushed his wife to the floor of the vehicle and sped away from the scene. Clayton said he saw a person he thought was a deputy standing in front of the store with a rifle as he left the area.

“My wife ain’t doing too good, I’m just mad,” he said.

He counted 21 bullet strikes on the front passenger side of his car including one punctured his right tire. Marks where bullets cracked the windshield glass and skimmed off were visible, as were places where bullets failed to penetrate the metal body panel.

“I ain’t seen this since I was in the military,” Clayton said.

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement saying she had been briefed on the “tragic shooting.”

“I’m in constant contact with State Police at the scene,” Huckabee said.

“I am thankful to law enforcement and first responders for their quick and heroic action to save lives. My prayers are with the victims and all those impacted by this horrific incident.”

The suspected shooter at the Arkansas supermarket was “critically injured” after being shot by police and was later taken into custody.

“The shooter was critically injured after being shot by law enforcement and has been taken into custody,” a statement from Arkansas State Police said.

ASP will hold a briefing at 3:30pm where officers will provide further updates.

According to the Arkansas State Police, the injuries of officer wounded in the supermarket shooting were “non-life-threatening.”

“At approximately 11:30 a.m. today, Arkansas State Police (ASP) responded to a shooting incident at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce. A total of nine individuals were shot,” a statement from the force read.

“Seven of the shooting victims were civilians, with two fatalities. One law enforcement officer was also shot and has non-life-threatening injuries.”

The mayor of Kingsland, a city in Arkansas, has said she narrowly missed coming upon the shooting in the Mad Butcher parking lot in Fordyce.

Mayor Sharon Crosby said she was taking the side street into the grocery store parking lot when a young man motioned for her to go back.

She told local outlet the Cleveland County Herald that as she was retreating, she heard several “pops” of gunfire.

One of the shots, she added, appeared to hit the ground right next to a police officer as he scrambled behind his squad car for protection.

Crosby said she drove her car into a car wash bay near the scene in an attempt to avoid an encounter with a suspect trying to flee the scene.

The mayor left the scene shortly after and saw several police vehicles with their lights on headed toward Fordyce.

Locals have described the incident at the Fordyce supermarket as “a terrible day for our little town”.

Fordyce resident Charise Ellson described the shooting as a “horrific tragedy” as she thanked law enforcement for their quick response.

“To all our family and Facebook friends.. We are ok. Today was a terrible day for our little town of Fordyce Arkansas,” Ellson wrote on Facebook.

“I am sure you will all soon hear of the mass shooting that took place in Fordyce at our local grocery store. The police quickly responded and as far as we know they have the shooter in custody, and unfortunately several people were shot. There is still a strong police presence in the area as they continue to work.

“Thank you so much to the police for their quick response to apprehend the assailant and keeping others in nearby stores safe.

“This is a small town and we personally know several people that were very nearby when the shooting took place. It’s just such a horrible thing that happened to people simply trying to grocery shop.”

According to police, two people were killed and eight others wounded in the shooting at grocery store in south Arkansas.

The exact number of shooters, or their motive is still unclear.

There remains an ongoing police presence at the scene.