Travis Posey

Mass Murderer

Travis Posey and the 2024 Fordyce Grocery Store Massacre

Overview

Travis Eugene "Joey" Posey carried out a mass shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, Arkansas, on June 21, 2024. Armed with a 12-gauge shotgun, a semiautomatic pistol and a bandolier containing additional ammunition, Posey opened fire on people outside and inside the store. Four people were killed, and eleven others were injured, including two law enforcement officers. The attack ended within minutes when responding officers exchanged gunfire with Posey, wounded him and took him into custody. Posey was 44 years old at the time of the massacre and lived in New Edinburg, a small community southeast of Fordyce. Investigators found no apparent personal relationship between Posey and the people he attacked. Authorities described the victims as targets of opportunity and said Posey fired indiscriminately at customers, employees, motorists and police officers. No definite motive for the massacre has been publicly established.

The Beginning of the Attack

The shooting began at approximately 11:38 a.m. on Friday, June 21, 2024. Posey drove a pickup truck into the parking lot of the Mad Butcher grocery store, located near U.S. Route 79 in Fordyce. He was carrying a 12-gauge shotgun and had additional shotgun shells arranged in a bandolier. He also possessed a handgun, although investigators reported that the shotgun was the principal weapon used during the attack. After leaving his truck, Posey began shooting people in the parking lot. One of the first victims was 50-year-old Roy Sturgis, who had just finished shopping and was leaving the store. Although mortally wounded, Sturgis reached his vehicle and attempted to obtain medical help. He later died from his injuries. Posey then fired toward the grocery store's entrance and through its windows. Employees and customers near the checkout area were struck or forced to flee for cover. The sudden gunfire caused panic throughout the building. Some shoppers escaped through rear exits, while others concealed themselves in storage areas and freezers as Posey entered the store.

The Shooting Inside the Mad Butcher

Once inside the grocery store, Posey continued firing at customers and employees. Authorities said he moved through the building and selected people who happened to be in his path. There was no evidence that he entered the store looking for a particular victim. Shirley Kay Taylor was fatally shot inside the store. Taylor, a longtime Fordyce-area resident, had been shopping when the attack began. Witnesses and family members later remembered her as a hardworking woman devoted to her children and other relatives. Another victim, 23-year-old Callie Weems, was a nurse and the mother of a 10-month-old daughter. Instead of immediately fleeing, Weems attempted to provide medical assistance to someone who had been shot near the checkout area. Posey encountered her while she was rendering aid and fatally shot her. Arkansas State Police officials later praised her actions as an example of extraordinary courage and compassion during the attack. At least one civilian reportedly attempted to confront or stop Posey after witnessing the parking-lot shooting. The man was shot in the head and upper body but survived. Other customers and employees escaped through the rear of the building or remained hidden until officers secured the store. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Roy Sturgis 50 yr old Male

Arkansas man sentenced to 220 years for deadly 2024 ...