WATCH: Pilot Threatens to ‘Intentionally’ Crash Stolen Plane Into Tupelo Walmart – Spends Hours Terrorizing Wide ‘Danger Zone’

Tommy ChristopherSep 3rd, 2022, 11:14 am
 

Pilot Threatens to 'Intentionally' Crash Stolen Plane Into Tupelo Walmart - Spends Hours Terrorizing Wide 'Danger Zone'

A Tupelo airport employee stole an airplane and threatened to crash it into a Walmart, as he terrorized what police described as a wide “danger zone” for hours.

On Saturday morning, the Tupelo, Mississippi Police Department posted a frightening update: a man had stolen a plane and was threatening every person within range.

For immediate release:::
On 09-03-2022 at approximately 05:00 am TPD was notified that a pilot of an airplane (possibly King Air type) was flying over Tupelo. The pilot has made contact with E911 and is threatening to intentionally crash into Wal Mart on West Main.

TPD has worked with Wal-Mart West and Dodges on West Main to evacuate the stores and disperse people as much as practical. TPD also has been able to begin talking with the pilot directly.

At this time the situation is ongoing with TPD and all Emergency Services in our area on alert.

Citizens are asked to avoid that area until an all clear is given. With the mobility of an airplane of that type the danger zone is much larger than even Tupelo.
More information will be released when appropriate.

And hours later, they added:

Update 09-03-2022 @ approximately 08:35 am the plane is reported to be airborne north of Tupelo in the Benton, Union County Area. Local, State and Federal Authorities are continuing to monitor this dangerous situation.

Shortly thereafter, Governor Tate Reeves wrote that “State law enforcement and emergency managers are closely tracking this dangerous situation. All citizens should be on alert and aware of updates from the Tupelo Police Department.”

All morning, social media videos kept people transfixed on the unfolding situation:

As of this writing, the pilot is still in the air. We will update as this story develops.

UPDATE: The pilot is in custody.

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