Petrified Arkansas grocery store shoppers hid inside freezers as a madman went on a shooting rampage, killing four, including an 81-year-old who succumbed to her injuries on Saturday.
Shoppers at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, Ark. recalled hearing “pops” just before 11:30 a.m. on Friday believing something either fell or someone was setting off fireworks, according to CNN.
Katrina Doherty had been shopping for dinner with her daughter, 18, and son, 4, when suspected gunman Travis Eugene Posey opened fire at the store.
Shoppers at the Meat Butcher in Fordyce, Arkansas took cover from the mass shooting by hiding inside a freezer on Friday. Google Maps
The 39-year-old mother was in a separate aisle from her children at the time but reunited with them as they raced alongside other shoppers to find shelter in the back of the store where two employees ushered them inside a freezer.
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“We ran in there really fast. We still heard gunshots keep going off,” Katrina Doherty told the outlet. “It was like slow motion. My daughter was like ‘Mama, pinch me, this can’t be real.’ And I was like, ‘Baby, it’s real.’”
Doherty recalled hearing nine to ten rounds go off before finding shelter in the cold storage unit, where the group huddled in “panic mode,” bracing cold conditions, not knowing what was happening outside.
“We were just sitting there and praying,” she said. “I was in panic mode. My son about froze to death. We tried to get him quiet, but he was saying he wanted his daddy. It felt like we were in there forever,”
Doherty and the rest of the shoppers remained inside the freezer for roughly 15 minutes until police came and escorted them out.
She was then reunited with her 15-year-old twin daughters, who were waiting in the car outside, and ducked down when the gunfire rang out.
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Suspected gunman Travis Eugene Posey is expecting to be charged with four counts of capital murder as other charges are still pending. Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office
In the parking lot, Posey, armed with a long gun, allegedly fired in multiple directions, striking multiple people before police officers arrived.
Posey, 44, was shot after he exchanged gunfire with police.
He will be charged with four counts of capital murder, with additional charges still pending, the Arkansas State Police announced.
The “lone gunman” is accused of killing four people, and injuring 9 others including two police officers. APA front window is seen with bullet holes as law enforcement officers work the scene following the shooting on June 21 in Arkansas. AP
Posey was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, and released to the Arkansas State Police is being held at the Ouachita County Detention Center.
He is expected to appear in court on Monday.
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Shirley Taylor, 62, Callie Weems, 23, and Roy Sturgis, 50, were all identified as the civilians killed in the shooting on Friday.
Ellen Shrum, 81, died on Saturday evening.
Weems, a nurse at Dallas County Medical Center and mother of a 10-month-old daughter was grocery shopping when she was struck by gunfire.
“I checked Callie’s location because good ol’ Live 360 and it showed she was at the hospital,” Helen Browning told Fox 16. “I’m thinking, ‘She’s at work. She came in to help,’ There was… she was in town…”
Browning rushed down to the grocery store to learn the heartbreaking news when she didn’t hear back from her daughter.
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Callie Weems, a 23-year-old nurse and mother of a 10-month-old daughter, was killed in the shooting on Friday. Facebook
“My best friend was standing right there and I said, ‘Kristie, tell me my baby’s ok.’ and she said, ‘I can’t,’ And that’s when I just broke,” Browning recalled.
“I just want to know why Joey Posey woke up this morning and decided he needed to go ruin families lives,” the heartbroken mother said.
Browning revealed her family lost another member in the shooting along with Callie.
Roy Sturgis, 50, was identified as one of the four killed in Friday’s shooting. Benton Funeral Home
“Our niece’s dad was in there also and he’s no longer with us,” Browning said. “So that’s a double whammy to our family.”
Roy Sturgis was remembered by his family in an online obituary, and is survived by his “pride and joy, his daughter.”
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Shirley Taylor’s daughter called her mother “such a GREAT woman” that “didn’t deserve this.”
Shirley Taylor was remembered by her daughter as”such a GREAT woman” that “didn’t deserve this.” Angela Atchley/FacebookTwo police officers were injured during a gunfight with the suspected shooter but were both treated and released. AP
The shooting left nine others injured, with ages ranging from 20 to 65, the ASP said.
“Four of those individuals remain hospitalized, including a woman who is in critical condition at UAMS in Little Rock.”
Three of the injured civilians have already been released from the Dallas County Medical Center.
Two officers, James Johnson with the Fordyce Police Department and John Hudson with the Stuttgart Police Department were also wounded during the shooting.
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Johnson, 31, was treated and released for a gunshot wound, as Hudson, 24, received “minor injuries.”
This is “Arkies in the Beltway” for the week of Dec. 14, 2025! I’m Alex Thomas, Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with your look at national politics and the Arkansans influencing the discussions.
[Click here to listen to the podcast.]
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Arkansas farm leaders are thankful for the White House’s plan to help agriculture, but they remain uneasy about farming’s immediate future.
The Trump administration plans to provide farmers across the country with one-time relief payments in the coming months. The package totals $12 billion, with row crop farmers set to receive most of the funds.
The Trump administration announced the relief package during a roundtable last Monday at the White House.
Two Arkansans — U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., and Crittenden County farmer Charles Williams — joined other lawmakers and farmers for the event.
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Read the full story in Monday’s edition of the Democrat-Gazette.
The Arkansas Army National Guard continues its mission in the nation’s capital. Roughly 100 National Guard members arrived in Washington, D.C., earlier this month to assist local law enforcement.
The topic of deploying National Guard units to cities across the country was the subject of a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last Thursday.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., serves on the committee. The Little Rock senator defended the president’s ability to use the National Guard and military units in American cities, citing President Dwight Eisenhower’s 1957 decision to send federal troops to Little Rock to desegregate Little Rock Central High School.
STORY: Cotton defends Trump’s National Guard deployments to U.S. cities, compares them to Central High crisis
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The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced David Clay Fowlkes’ nomination to the full chamber for its consideration.
President Donald Trump nominated Fowlkes to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The Arkansan currently serves as the district’s U.S. attorney.
STORY: U.S. Senate committee advances Fowlkes judicial nomination
Thank you for supporting “Arkies in the Beltway!” You can stay up to date with all Arkansas news at ArkansasOnline.com, or follow me on Bluesky for more developments from the nation’s capital!
Bill Bowden covers a variety of news for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, primarily in Northwest Arkansas. He has worked at the newspaper for 16 years and previously worked for both the Arkansas Democrat and Arkansas Gazette.
The No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks (7-2) and No. 16 Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-2) meet Saturday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Tip-off is set for noon ET (ESPN2). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA basketball odds around the Arkansas vs. Texas Tech odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.
Arkansas earned its second straight win last Saturday, rolling past the Fresno State Bulldogs 82-58. It covered as a 20-point home favorite, and the Under (160.5) hit. Arkansas controlled the game defensively, forcing 17 turnovers and holding the Bulldogs to 15% (4-for-26) shooting from 3-point range. G Darius Acuff Jr. led the way with 18 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and a steal.
Texas Tech extended its winning streak to 3 games Sunday with an 82-58 win over the LSU Tigers. The Red Raiders covered as 5.5-point home favorites, and the Under (153.5) cashed. Texas Tech locked in defensively, holding LSU to 17% (4-for-24) shooting from 3-point range. G Christian Anderson led all players with 27 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. F LeJuan Watts provided a double-double (15 points and 10 rebounds) off the bench.
Texas Tech and Arkansas last met March 27 in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. The Red Raiders survived an 85-83 OT win, while Arkansas covered as a 5.5-point underdog. The total pushed past the number, cashing the Over.
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– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Watch NCAA basketball on Fubo!
Arkansas vs. Texas Tech odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:49 a.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Arkansas -102 (bet $102 to win $100) | Texas Tech -118 (bet $118 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Arkansas +1.5 (-115) | Texas Tech -1.5 (-105)
Over/Under (O/U): 157.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Arkansas vs. Texas Tech picks and predictions
Prediction
Arkansas 76, Texas Tech 73
BET ARKANSAS (-102).
This is a rematch the Razorbacks haven’t forgotten. They had Texas Tech on the ropes in the Sweet 16 last March before watching it slip away late, and this feels like a clear revenge spot on a neutral floor in Dallas.
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What I like most is Arkansas’ backcourt. The Razorbacks are quicker, more dynamic and better equipped to control tempo, especially with Acuff starting to look more comfortable running the offense. When Arkansas is at its best, the ball is in its guards’ hands, pushing pace and creating pressure, and that’s an area where Texas Tech can struggle.
The Razorbacks’ losses this season have come against strong competition, and they were competitive in each one. Texas Tech, meanwhile, has been more uneven. The Red Raiders handled LSU, but they’ve also been blown out and pushed around by other quality opponents.
In a tight, high-energy matchup, I’ll trust the deeper roster, the fresher legs in the backcourt and the team with something to prove. Arkansas is the side for me.
PASS.
No need to play around with the spread when you can get the Razorback at plus odds on the moneyline.
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BET UNDER 157.5 (-115).
Texas Tech leans on physical half-court defense, while Arkansas defends cleanly without sending teams to the line and ranks 28th nationally in 3-point defense. The Under has hit in 6 of Texas Tech’s last 7 games and 6 of Arkansas’ last 8, making this a strong trend-based spot.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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