Authorities have confirmed that one man was killed and at least 28 other people were wounded during an apparent "gunfight" at a car show in Dumas, Arkansas, Saturday night. Col. William J. Bryant of Arkansas State Police described the Arkansas Car Show mass shooting victims as bystanders in a shootout between two suspects. Some of them were children, including a baby.
Bryant said, "The bottom line on this is just two individuals got into a gunfight. Unfortunately, we had multiple victims of the shooting incident." Among those injured in the shootout are at least six children, the youngest just 19 months old. NBC News reported that they were all taken to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock for treatment.
According to the colonel, the good news is that five of them had been released as of Sunday afternoon. The shootout claimed the life, however, of 23-year-old Cameron Schaffer. Bryant said there was no indication that the Jacksonville, Arkansas native was one of the shooters in the car show.
Hutchinson and Jones issue statements about the mass shooting
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson issued a statement about the car show mass shooting, saying, "As the investigation continues, I will examine details to see if there are any steps that could have been taken to prevent this type of tragedy."
According to Bryant, highway patrol officers, troopers, and investigators were dispatched around 6:50 p.m. to a parking lot where the event was taking place. According to a report by CNN, promoters billed the said event as a car and bicycle show. The colonel said that based on the online marketing of the event, it appears the bystanders and the shooters were all there for the car show.
Chris Jones, a Democrat running for Arkansas governor, was among those who attended the event. Jones posted a tweet, saying he was there early on Saturday, enjoying "a positive family atmosphere" and registering voters. Jones released a statement, saying he is deeply saddened (and honestly angered) by this tragedy.
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Organizers heartbroken with Arkansas car show mass shooting
Promoters did not describe the two-day event as a spring break celebration this year. However, the listed attractions included live bands, gospel performances, club music, a parade, and a display of bicycles and cars. Based on the organizers' schedule, the car show portion of the event should have been over by the time the shooting started.
A nonprofit group called the Hoodnic Foundation, the event's organizers, posted a statement on its Facebook page, saying it was "heartbroken and in shock" at what took place during Saturday's car show. The New York Post reported that Wallace McGehee, the group's director, personally witnessed the shooting break out and that he tried to get the children out of harm's way.
McGehee was visibly disappointed with the shooting, especially as his group encouraged nonviolence. The Hoodnic Foundation is listed as an educational nonprofit on transparency websites.
