US: Pilot threatens to crash plane into Walmart store in Mississippi
A pilot of a small plane, flying in circles for more than an hour, threatened to crash into a Walmart store in Tupelo, Mississippi on Saturday, media reports said, citing local police.
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 said in a statement on Facebook.
Walmart (WMT.N) and a gas station had been evacuated and people had been dispersed.
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
Citizens are 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 have been 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 said.
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