A man was killed and a minimum of 27 other individuals were hurt in a "gunfight" at a car show in Dumas, Arkansas, on Saturday night, authorities said.The victims were referred to as bystanders in a shootout in between 2 suspects, Col. William J. Bryant of Arkansas State Police stated at a press conference Sunday.
" The bottom line on this is just 2 individuals entered into a gunfight," he said. "Unfortunately we had multi [cq] victims of the shooting incident.".
One person was jailed, but authorities were unclear on any possible connection to the violence." It's an unrelated arrest," Bryant said." . We're still looking for two people.".At least six kids-- the youngest is 19 months old-- were among those wounded, he stated. They were taken to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, according to a spokeswoman.A minimum of five had been released since Sunday afternoon, the colonel stated.
The deceased was identified by authorities as Cameron Schaffer, 23, of Jacksonville, Arkansas. Bryant said there was no sign the victim was one of the shooters.Gov. Asa Hutchinson stated he will monitor the examination as it unfolds.
" As the examination continues I will examine details to see if there are any actions that could have been taken to avoid this kind of disaster," Hutchinson said.
Troopers, highway patrol officers and detectives were dispatched about 6:50 p.m. to a parking area where the occasion, billed by promoters as a car and bicycle program, was taking place, Bryant said.
Though organizers have actually promoted a wider weekend of spring break-style celebrations for years, the colonel said their internet marketing shows that bystanders and shooters all appeared to be there for the car program.
" If you take a look at the site for Hoodnic, the community company-- they do things like buy knapsacks, different things-- however it was a car program they were hosting," he said.The last time the wider occasion that hosts the car show was held, in 2019, it was billed as a two-day spring break celebration, according to the city of Dumas.
This year promoters did not describe the two-day taking place as a spring break event, though the listed destinations consisted of club music, a parade, gospel performances, live bands, and a screen of vehicles and bikes. According to organizers' schedule, the car show part of the weekend should have been over by the time shooting broke out.
Virtual fliers have marketed the wider event as the "NeighborHOOD PicNIC" and "Hoodnic Weekend.".Video from the premises of the occasion confirmed by NBC News shows a set-up similar to a music festival, with a phase, food concessions, tarp-covered cubicles, and dirt-covered pedestrian courses.State police have actually not pointed out the bigger festival.
" There is no doubt on the part of local authorities or the state police a car program occurred," state police representative Bill Sadler emailed.
The occasion's organizers, a nonprofit group called the Hoodnic Foundation, said it was "sad and in shock at what occurred during tonight's car show," in statement posted to its Facebook page.
Organizers have likewise explained themselves as working under the name Delta N.E.Y.O
The group's director, Wallace McGehee, told NBC affiliate KARK of Little Rock that he saw the shooting break out and tried to get children out of harm's way." Getting down, trying to get kids out the way, that was the main issue for everyone," he stated.
McGehee said the group encourages nonviolence. The Hoodnic Foundation is listed on openness sites as an instructional nonprofit.This was the 16th year for the larger event in Dumas, McGehee stated. The other years, he said, were problem-free." Send ya'll prayers, send y' all acknowledgements," McGehee said.
Chris Jones, a Democrat running for Arkansas governor, tweeted that he had actually been at the occasion previously Saturday, signing up citizens and delighting in "a positive family environment."." I am deeply saddened (and honestly angered) by this catastrophe," Jones stated in a declaration.
