Nine days after a shooting killed four people and injured at least 11 others in Fordyce, Gov. Sarah Sanders met with emergency responders, community members, and laid flowers at a memorial honoring the victims.
Sanders began her visit on Sunday with a trip to Beech Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where she told reporters she spoke with family members of the victims. Speaking afterwards at a press conference outside the Dallas County Sheriff's Office, Sanders said she was reminded in that moment that “we have a God that makes us whole and brings us back together.”
Sanders said Fordyce is an example of a community coming together to heal.
“All of the articles and the news coverage that you read talks about the unity and the people of Fordyce that have come together and put their arms around each other,” Sanders said. “I think that says so much about who this community really is.”
Sanders went on to thank the law enforcement officers who responded to the shooting.
“They truly are heroes that save lives," she said. “Without the acts of the people standing here next to me, I think we would have an even worse situation on our hands.”
The speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, Rep. Matthew Shepherd, also shared remarks. He said all south Arkansas communities have felt the loss, particularly in his hometown of El Dorado. Shepherd said he was returning from Little Rock when the shooting happened.
“There was a response from across the area, I met a number of law enforcement officers heading towards Fordyce. And that’s what we see so many times with law enforcement, our fire department, our first responders, is they head towards the danger.”
Republican state Rep. Sonia Eubanks Barker represents District 96, which includes Fordyce. She also expressed gratitude for the community.
“It’s just so heartwarming to see the people that truly still care about their neighbors and care about others like themselves,” Barker said.
State Sen. Matthew Stone, a Republican from Camden, said Gov. Sanders' words reminded him of a quote from the Bible.
“‘What y’all meant for evil, God meant for good,’” Stone quoted, referencing the story of Joseph, whose brothers sold him into slavery.
“Evil was done in Fordyce in this community on that day. That’s what the shooter’s intentions were. But I know that if we’ll unite and remain strong and keep our faith in God, we’ll see what good is going to come out of this,” Stone said, adding that he has already seen the community demonstrate unity in the aftermath of the shooting.
The officials all said they would “continue to pray” for the Fordyce community.
Sanders and her husband, Bryan, also visited the memorial to victims set up in front of the Mad Butcher grocery store’s parking lot. The governor laid flowers at the memorial.
