November 25, 2025

During the gatherings, DPS Secretary and Arkansas State Police (ASP) Director Col. Mike Hagar and Dallas County Sheriff Mike Knoedl discussed how the Fordyce community was impacted by the June 21, 2024, shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store.

CONWAY, Ark. – Last week, the Arkansas Department of Public Safety (DPS) concluded a series of community stakeholder meetings aimed at helping Arkansas communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from mass violence incidents (MVIs). Seven events were held across the state, with over 600 participants representing local, state and federal law enforcement, emergency management and educational agencies. Philanthropic, nonprofit, faith-based organizations and ambulance/hospital facility personnel were also represented.

“When something like this happens, you have to be able to leave your ego at the door,” Sheriff Knoedl said. “You have all these resources at your fingertips. When something like this happens, all you have to do is call. You have to say to yourself, ‘I can’t handle this.’ You need to lean on the people who can handle it. Pick up the phone and call the Arkansas State Police. I can assure you, they will be there as quick as they can.”

During the Fordyce incident, four people were killed and 11 others were injured. Hagar and Knoedl talked about lessons learned from the incident in an effort to help other Arkansas communities prepare for similar MVIs.

“I hope this is a waste of time and that we never again respond to an incident like this, but we know that the chances are great that we’ll see this kind of violence in Arkansas again,” said Col. Hagar. “DPS and Arkansas State Police are assisting agencies. Our mission is to help communities. We want to build relationships now and tell communities about the assets we have available if they’re faced with the unthinkable.”

Sheriff Knoedl said his goal in participating in the initiative is to deliver a message to local law enforcement leaders that no town is immune to mass violence.

“I’ve been in law enforcement almost 40 years, and all I could think was ‘Not here. Not here,’” he said. “I need you to understand … Don’t ever say that it can’t happen to me. No way did I ever think this would happen in Fordyce. Don’t ever think that it can’t happen to me because it can.”

Knoedl’s message includes practical advice, such as making sure all officers have patrol rifles and that relationships and communication are strong with neighboring agencies. The sheriff also urges law enforcement leaders to be willing to ask for help.

“Being in small town America, we didn’t have the resources we needed,” he said, describing the immediate aftermath of the shooting. “Right after this happened, my phone rang and it was Col. Mike Hagar. He said, ‘How bad is it?’ I said, ‘It’s bad.’ He said, ‘I’m on my way.’”

According to the FBI, the Mad Butcher shooting was one of 12 MVIs in 2024. With more than a month left in 2025, the federal agency counts 23 MVIs. The National Mass Violence Center defines these incidents as mass public violence events that result in four or more victims being murdered within one event, in at least one or more public location, such as, a workplace, school, restaurant, house of worship, neighborhood, or other public setting.

Arkansas DPS includes several agencies and services equipped to offer services in the event of an MVI:

• • ASP’s Criminal Investigation and Highway Patrol divisions
• • Division of Emergency Management
• • State Crime Laboratory
• • Division of Law Enforcement Standards and Training
• • Crime Victims Reparations Board
• • ASP’s POLAR (Performance Optimization, Leadership, and Resilience) Program

The initiative also includes participation and support from the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Department of Human Services, and has engaged the Arkansas Community Foundation, which is positioned to facilitate philanthropic support after an MVI.

Events were held in Russellville, Camden, Rogers, Hope, Jonesboro, Heber Springs and Conway.