DUMAS, Ark. — The Arkansas chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement after a shooting at a southeast Arkansas car show on Saturday night. According to Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler, gunfire broke out into a crowd of attendees at the 16th annual Hood-Nic car show in Dumas, killing one and leaving at least 24 others wounded. Some of those injured in the shooting included children, according to reports. Dumas Police Chief Keith Finch says multiple shooters were involved; as of this morning, one person is in custody and a search is underway for others.
“We are devastated for the families impacted by this senseless act of gun violence,” said Mariah Hatta, a volunteer with the Arkansas chapter of Moms Demand Action and an Everytown Survivor Fellow. “While details are still unfolding, one thing is for sure: going to a community event shouldn’t mean your life’s on the line. Our state’s weak gun laws leave our families and communities constantly at risk. Something has to change, and we won’t stop fighting until it does.”
Arkansas is tied for the second-weakest gun laws in the country, scoring only 5 out of 100 for gun law strength while maintaining one of the highest rates of gun deaths. Despite this, legislators have actively worked to weaken the state’s gun laws in recent years.
In an average year, 596 people are killed by guns in Arkansas, and 555 more are wounded. Guns are the leading cause of death among the state’s youth population. Gun violence costs Arkansas $3.8 billion each year, of which $161.6 million is paid by taxpayers. More information about gun violence in Arkansas is available here.