Mississippi
US: Stolen plane lands on field after pilot threatened to crash into Walmart store
A pilot of a small plane, flying in circles for more than five hours and threatening to crash into a Walmart store in Tupelo, Mississippi, has been arrested after he landed safely on a field, Governor Tate Reeves said on Saturday.
The "situation has been resolved" and no one was injured," Governor Reeves announced on Twitter.
"The plane over North MS is down. Thankful the situation has been resolved and that no one was injured. Thank you most of all to local, state, and federal law enforcement who managed this situation with extreme professionalism," Reeves said in a tweet.
The plane over North MS is down. Thankful the situation has been resolved and that no one was injured. Thank you most of all to local, state, and federal law enforcement who managed this situation with extreme professionalism.
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) September 3, 2022
The plane, a Beechcraft King Air 90, was airborne for more than five hours, which police described as a "dangerous situation."
Currently we have a 29yr old who stole this plane & is threatening to crash it into something. Polices ,ambulances ,& fire trucks are everywhere. Everything is shutdown rn pic.twitter.com/AzebdIa3tP
— City King (@CityKing_Gank_) September 3, 2022
After the police department in Tupelo, Mississippi was notified, they started talking directly to the pilot.
"With the mobility of an airplane of that type the danger zone is much larger than even Tupelo," the police earlier said in a statement on Facebook.
Walmart (WMT.N) and a gas station were evacuated and people had been dispersed.
Citizens were asked to avoid that area until all clear is given. With the mobility of an airplane of that type the danger zone is much larger than Tupelo, the police added.
The Tupelo Police Department asked the people to disperse. All emergency services were put on alert, it said.
Media reports said the pilot took the plane, a nine-seater with two engines, a Beechcraft King Air 90, from Tupelo Airport.
"State law enforcement and emergency managers are closely tracking this dangerous situation," Governor Tate Reeves earlier said.
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