FORREST CITY, Ark. — Two days after a deadly shooting inside the Walmart in Forrest City, dozens of residents showed up at the store Wednesday morning for a prayer service.
Walmart employees at Store #91 in Forrest City normally start their day with a team-building huddle, but they invited customers, clergy, law enforcement officers and community leaders to join in Wednesday.
The prayer was a sign of unity following the tragedy.
“You see the turnout today — it’s just tremendous,” Mayor Cedric Williams said. “It shows what our Forrest City is about.”
Latisha Mooney was shopping at the Walmart on Monday when two Forrest City police officers killed a gunman after he shot them. She returned Wednesday to pray and force herself to go back into the store.
“I was scared for my life, and I was running,” she said. “So I dropped everything, and I just seen a police officer that helped me, she just gave me a hug.”
The mayor said the prayer services is the first step toward getting some closure and getting back to normal.
All churches in Forrest City cancelled their Wednesday night services so everyone can partake in a community-wide prayer service at Ridgewood Baptist Church starting at 6:30 p.m.