Fordyce grocery store shooter pleads not guilty to murder charges

CAMDEN — The Arkansas man accused of killing four people and injuring 10 others, including two police officers, in a mass shooting at a grocery store pleaded not guilty Tuesday to multiple charges connected to the attack.

Appearing in court for the first time, Travis Eugene Posey, 44, pleaded not guilty to four counts of capital murder and ten counts of attempted capital murder for a shooting last week at the Mad Butcher grocery store. A judge ordered Posey held without bond.

Police have not identified a motive for Posey, 44, who was shot and injured by officers who exchanged fire with him. Police have said he did not appear to have a personal connection to any of the victims. Gregg Parrish, the executive director of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission, represented Posey at the brief hearing.

Posey spoke briefly at the hearing to say Parrish had explained the charges to him, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. The judge did not schedule Posey’s next court appearance.

After the hearing, Parrish said he has been speaking with Posey’s family, who he said were “devastated” for the people grieving.

“They hurt for the victims and their families in this matter, and they’re just so saddened by the events that took place,” Posey’s attorney told The Associated Press.

Posey on Friday carried a 12gauge shotgun, a pistol and a bandolier with dozens of extra shotgun rounds, authorities said. He fired most, if not all, of the rounds using the shotgun, opening fire at people in the parking lot before entering the store and firing “indiscriminately” at customers and employees, police said. Multiple gunshot victims were found inside the store and in the parking lot, police said.

The shooting occurred in the middle of the day in Fordyce, a city of about 3,200 people located 65 miles (104 kilometers) south of Little Rock.

It was at least the third mass shooting at a U.S. grocery store in the last three years. In 2022, a white supremacist killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket. That came a little more than a year after 10 people were fatally shot at supermarket in Boulder, Colorado.

Posey lived in New Edinburg, a small town of about 150 people located southeast of Fordyce.

Authorities have said Posey had limited to no criminal history, though he was arrested in 2011 at the entrance of Fort Drum in New York and charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon. Posey said he was a truck driver attempting to make a delivery when he voluntarily told police at the gate he had an unloaded pistol, according to New York State Police. Posey ultimately pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and paid a $200 fine.

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JONESBORO — As the busy Fourth of July holiday week begins, the American Red Cross asks donors to be a powerful force for good by giving blood now and in the weeks to come.

According to a press release from the Red Cross, donors are critically needed right now after a sharp decrease in donations since late spring. All blood types are needed, especially donors giving type O blood and those giving platelets.

“Full summer calendars and holiday plans may prevent regular donors from being able to give,” the release

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stated. “Additionally, significant summer weather threats such as hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes can result in travel hazards and blood drive cancellations that could impact the blood supply.”

Prospective donors are asked to help keep lifesaving blood products stocked by booking a time to give blood by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

The Red Cross has teamed up with Universal Pictures for the theatrical release of TWISTERS to help avoid a summer blood shortage. All who come to give blood or platelets July 1-31 will get a Fandango Movie Ticket by email. Plus, those who come to give July 1-14 will also receive a one-of-a-kind TWISTERS and Red Cross umbrella, while supplies last.

In addition, those who come to give blood in July will also automatically be entered for a chance to win a 2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn. Unfortunately, in parts of Arkansas, many communities are still picking up the pieces and recovering from the second most active tornado season on record, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.

“The Red Cross is grateful to have partners like Universal Pictures who are not only lending this support to encourage blood donations during this critical time of year but have also generously donated to help support disaster relief,” said Jennifer Pipa, vice president of Disaster Programs for the Red Cross. “Because of the climate crisis, the Red Cross is now launching twice as many relief operations for major disasters than we did a decade ago. And disasters are not only straining our relief operations but also our ability to collect lifesaving blood donations. So far this year we have collected 20,000 fewer blood donations due to severe weather.”

In just the first five months of the year, the Red Cross has responded to 20 tornado related disasters across 13 states. Unfortunately, meteorologists expect more powerful and destructive storms to continue in the months to come. This year’s outlook is part of a years-long trend of more frequent and intense climate disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms and floods.

“Dare to be a force of nature this summer,” the release challenges. “Give blood or make a financial donation to the Red Cross by visiting RedCross.org.”