According to the Tupelo Police Department in astatement, the pilot called 911 at approximately 5 a.m. and threatened to “intentionally crash into Walmart on West Main.”
Hours later, Gov. Tate Reeves announced onTwitterthat the plane was safely “down,” and that the situation has been “resolved” without any injuries. Reeves thanked law enforcement agencies “who managed this situation with extreme professionalism.”
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Benton County Sheriff Dispatcher Connie Strickland confirmed to theAssociated Pressthat the pilot was in law enforcement custody after landing.
After being notified of the danger in the early hours of the day, police evacuated stores on the street and encouraged those in the area to “disperse as much as practical.”
Charles Crowson, director of the Walmart Press Office, toldCNNthat the store was “closed and evacuated.”
“We’re working closely with local investigators and are referring questions to law enforcement,” he told the outlet.
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As law enforcement continued communications with the pilot, residents were asked to avoid that area until an all-clear was given. “With the mobility of an airplane of that [Beechcraft King Air C90A] type, the danger zone is much larger than even Tupelo,” the local police department warned in their message.
A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration told CNN they were aware of the situation and had been coordinating with local law enforcement.
The Tupelo Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
source: people.com
