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1 dead, 27 injured in shooting at Arkansas car show

March 20 (UPI) -- One person was killed and another 27 were injured in a shooting that erupted at a car show in southeastern Arkansas, police said Sunday.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson said that two suspects were in custody after the shooting that took place on Saturday at around 7 p.m., including one who was arrested and another who was being held on unrelated charges.

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"The shooting spree in Dumas last night at a community family event represents a total disregard of the value of life," said Hutchinson.

Arkansas State Police Col. Bill Bryant identified the victim who died in a press conference as 23-year-old Cameron Shaffer.

Several injured victims were hospitalized and at least five though possibly six children younger than 11 years of age, including two toddlers, were taken to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock and five have since been released.

Bryant said he believed the shooting began when two people got into a gunfight.

"There was no mass shooting intended on this; it was two individuals who ... exchanged gunfire," he said.

A large amount of evidence has been recovered from the scene and the authorities were following up leads, he said.

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The shooting took place at a car show in Dumas, Ark., known as the Hood-Nic Car Show. Dumas is about 87 miles southeast of Little Rock.

The events' organizers, a nonprofit called the Hoodnic Foundation, said on Facebook that they were "heartbroken and in shock at what took place during tonight's car show."

Wallace McGehee, the group's director, told KARK 4 News he saw the shooting begin and worked to move children to safety.

"Getting down, trying to get kids out the way, that was the main issue for all of us was getting kids out the way, getting people out the way," he said. "When bullets start flying, they don't got no name on it."

The event, which includes a parade and other activities each spring to raise funds for scholarships and school supplies, is in its 16th year.

"We apologize for all of this ... This has never happened with us at our event ever," McGehee said. "For something like this to happen, it's a tragedy."

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., tweeted his appreciated for state police working the case.

"The hearts of Arkansans from across the state are with the people of Dumas today," he said. "[A]nd I pray that God will bring comfort to the victims and their families."

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