Arkansas supermarket shooting leaves three dead and 10 wounded as gunman arrested
A supermarket shooting in Arkansas, US, has left three people dead and 10 others wounded.
Parked cars and shop windows were left riddled with bullet holes after a gunman opened fire on Friday, forcing bystanders to dive for cover.
Among the injured were two police officers who shot back at the gunman – before he was arrested.
The incident took place around 11.30am local time at the Mad Butcher supermarket in Fordyce – a city of just over 3,000 people located 65 miles south of Little Rock.
Colonel Mike Hagar, director of Arkansas State Police, told reporters: “It’s tragic, our hearts are broken”.
The gunman was identified by police as 44-year-old Travis Eugene Posey.
Posey was taken to jail and charged with three counts of murder.
Other charges are still pending and no court date has been set, according to the inmate roster.
Police on the scene of the attack in the aftermath of the shooting. Pic: AP
Neither Posey’s, nor the officers’ injuries were life threatening, but among the others the injuries ranged from “not life-threatening to extremely critical”, Col Hagar said.
It wasn’t immediately clear what the motive for the shooting was, nor if it took place predominantly inside or outside the shop.
Roderick Rogers, a member of the city council, witnessed the attack.
He said he saw people fleeing for cover in all directions and added: “People were just jumping into cars to get to safety.”
Law enforcement officers work the scene of the shooting. Pic: AP
Amiya Doherty said she was in her mum’s car in the car park of the shop when she heard what she thought were fireworks.
But she then saw a man holding a gun and firing and said she ducked out of view.
“I held my sister’s hand and I told her I love her,” Ms Doherty told Little Rock television station KATV.
Images from the scene showed a slew of bullet holes in the grocery store’s window, and spent shell casings strewn throughout the parking lot.
The shooting took place at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, Arkansas. Pic: AP
Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she had been briefed on the shooting.
In a post on social media she added: “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.”
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The White House said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting and his team will continue to keep him updated.
David Rodriguez, 58, had stopped at his local petrol station in the town when he heard what he thought were fireworks.
But he too saw people fleeing from the shop and one person lying on the ground.
“The police started to show up, and then there was massive gunfire and ambulances pulling up,” he said.
“The bullets were just flying.”
US
Trump campaign co-manager calls Lord Mandelson an ‘absolute moron’ as peer is confirmed as Starmer’s new US ambassador
The co-manager for Donald Trump’s presidential election campaign has called Lord Mandelson an “absolute moron” – as the peer was officially announced as the next UK ambassador to the US.
The Labour grandee, who served in Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s cabinets, will become the UK’s top diplomat in Washington as president-elect Trump returns to the White House in January.
In a post on X, Chris LaCivita linked to an article in The Daily Telegraph which reported on Lord Mandelson describing Mr Trump as “a danger to the world”.
The peer also described Mr Trump as “little short of a white nationalist and racist” during an interview with an Italian journalist in 2019, according to the newspaper.
In the post on X, Mr LaCivita said: “This UK govt is special replace a professional universally respected Ambo with an absolute moron – he should stay home! SAD!”
He added the headline of the piece in his post: “Mandelson described Trump as a danger to the world and ‘little short of a white nationalist’.”
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the appointment of Lord Mandelson to the post.
The 71-year-old said: “We face challenges in Britain but also big opportunities and it will be a privilege to work with the government to land those opportunities, both for our economy and our nation’s security, and to advance our historic alliance with the United States.”
The prime minister said: “The United States is one of our most important allies and as we move into a new chapter in our friendship, Peter will bring unrivalled experience to the role and take our partnership from strength to strength.”
Analysis:
Lord Mandelson’s trade background key to pivotal role
Return of ‘Prince of Darkness’ will leave Labour lefties furious
Chris LaCivita, co-manager of Donald Trump’s election campaign. Pic: Reuters
Sir Keir also thanked outgoing US ambassador Dame Karen Pierce, who will leave the post at the beginning of next year.
“I would also like to thank Dame Karen Pierce for her invaluable service for the last four years, and in particular the wisdom and steadfast support she has given me personally since July,” he said.
“She made history as the first woman to serve as UK ambassador to the US and she has been an outstanding representative of our country abroad. I wish her all the very best in future.”
Lord Mandelson was one of the key architects of New Labour and helped the party return to power in the 1990s.
He served as Sir Tony’s trade secretary and Northern Ireland secretary before standing down as an MP in 2004 to become a European Commissioner.
After Mr Brown awarded him a peerage in 2008, Lord Mandelson returned to government as business secretary.
US
Trump campaign co-manager calls Lord Peter Mandelson an ‘absolute moron’ as peer is confirmed as Starmer’s new US ambassador
The co-manager for Donald Trump’s presidential election campaign has called Lord Mandelson an “absolute moron” – as the peer was officially announced as the next UK ambassador to the US.
The Labour grandee, who served in Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s cabinets, will become the UK’s top diplomat in Washington as president-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January.
In a post on X, Chris LaCivita linked to an article in The Daily Telegraph which reported on Lord Mandelson describing Mr Trump as “a danger to the world”.
The peer also described Mr Trump as “little short of a white nationalist and racist” during an interview with an Italian journalist in 2019, according to the newspaper.
In the post on X, Mr LaCivita said: “This UK govt is special replace a professional universally respected Ambo with an absolute moron – he should stay home! SAD!”
He added: “Mandelson described Trump as a danger to the world and ‘little short of a white nationalist’.”
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the appointment of Lord Mandelson to the post.
The 71-year-old said: “We face challenges in Britain but also big opportunities and it will be a privilege to work with the government to land those opportunities, both for our economy and our nation’s security, and to advance our historic alliance with the United States.”
The prime minister said: “The United States is one of our most important allies and as we move into a new chapter in our friendship, Peter will bring unrivalled experience to the role and take our partnership from strength to strength.”
Analysis:
Lord Mandelson’s trade background key to pivotal role
Return of ‘Prince of Darkness’ will leave Labour lefties furious
Chris LaCivita, co-manager of Donald Trump’s election campaign. Pic: Reuters
Sir Keir also thanked outgoing US ambassador Dame Karen Pierce, who will leave the post at the beginning of next year.
“I would also like to thank Dame Karen Pierce for her invaluable service for the last four years, and in particular the wisdom and steadfast support she has given me personally since July,” he said.
“She made history as the first woman to serve as UK ambassador to the US and she has been an outstanding representative of our country abroad. I wish her all the very best in future.”
Lord Mandelson was one of the key architects of New Labour and helped the party return to power in the 1990s.
He served as Sir Tony’s trade secretary and Northern Ireland secretary before standing down as an MP in 2004 to become a European Commissioner.
After Mr Brown awarded him a peerage in 2008 Lord Mandelson returned to government as business secretary.
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