A pilot who spent hours circling over Tupelo, Mississippi, on Saturday morning stolen Airplane threatening to crash into one Walmart Inc WMT landed safely in a field in Ripley, Mississippi.
After taking off on the plane, the pilot contacted 911 and threatened to hit the Tupelo Walmart.
Shoppers and employees at the store have been evacuated and people removed from the area, the Tupelo Police Department said.
Earlier in a Facebook post, Tupelo Police said they were notified of the incident at 5 a.m. local time. “With the mobility of an aircraft of this type, the danger zone is much larger than even Tupelo,” police said.
governor Tate Reeves took to Twitter to alert local residents to the incident.
State law enforcement agencies and emergency managers are closely monitoring this dangerous situation. All citizens should be vigilant and aware of news from the Tupelo Police Department. https://t.co/hQ8GxcR8s0
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) September 3, 2022
He later confirmed the plane landed safely and the pilot was taken into custody.
The plane crashed over North MS. Luckily, the situation resolved and no one was injured. Special thanks to the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies who have handled this situation with the utmost professionalism.
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) September 3, 2022
The aircraft was spotted over the Holly Springs National Forest, which covers much of northeast and north-central Mississippi.
The Department of Homeland Security is investigating the matter and is working to determine a motive.
Corresponding The daily paperthe man flying the plane works at Tupelo Regional Airport.
