A police officer was among those who were shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Some of the eight surviving civilians are in "extremely critical" condition, said State Police Director Mike Hagar during an afternoon press briefing.
The suspect was taken into custody after being shot by police, which left him critically wounded, police said. The identity of the suspect has not yet been released. Video footage of the incident shows him to be an adult white male.
The incident occurred at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce around 11:30 am. The city is located about 70 miles south of Little Rock.
Video footage shows the suspect loading a firearm and firing multiple shots in the grocery store parking lot.
Police said investigators are working to determine a motive.
Meat cutter Matt Gill told NBC News he was in the back of the store when he heard gunshots and shattering glass.
"He came in and started shooting," said Gill. "We made it out the back door. I had to get out there, I have a wife and kids at home."
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement about the tragedy on X: "I have been briefed on the tragic shooting in Fordyce, and I'm in constant contact with State Police at the scene. I am thankful to law enforcement and first responders for their quick and heroic action to save lives. My prayers are with the victims and all those impacted by this horrific incident."
Fordyce is a small city with a population of 3,396 people. The median household income is $35,116, which is less than half of the national average, according to the US Census Bureau data.
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