Walmart evacuates after caller threatens to ram military vehicle into store, NC cops say
A Walmart was evacuated after someone threatened to run a military vehicle into the store, North Carolina officials say.
It turned out to be a prank by a pair of juveniles, according to a Washington Police Department spokesperson.
It started when someone called the Walmart at the Pamlico Plaza shopping center to ask about a specific item on Sunday afternoon, said Stacy Drakeford, director of police and fire services.
The person called back a few minutes later to say he or she was going to take a stolen military vehicle and run it into the store, the director said.
“To err on the side of caution, Walmart decided to evacuate the store,” Drakeford told McClatchy news group Monday.
It happened in Washington, a city on the Pamlico River and near the North Carolina coast.
The call came during Walmart’s holiday shopping season, which launched in October, according to the retailer’s website.
After the threat, there was “large police presence” near the Pamlico Plaza store, the Washington Daily News reported.
About an hour later, police realized the call came from juveniles “playing on the phone,” and Walmart reopened, according to Drakeford.
The juvenile hoax remains under investigation, and no one was facing charges as of Monday morning, officials say.
“We’re thankful our customers and associates are safe, and this was determined to be just a hoax,” a Walmart spokesperson said Monday in an emailed statement. “We appreciate the quick action and support by local authorities and their thorough investigation.”
This story was originally published December 2, 2019 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Walmart evacuates after caller threatens to ram military vehicle into store, NC cops say."
