An airport company employee was arrested as the pilot who allegedly stole a plane and threatened to crash into a Walmart.
Cory Wayne Patterson, 29, is charged with grand larceny and making terrorist threats, according to The Daily Journal. Tupelo Police Chief John Quaka said federal authorities are looking at four or five more possible charges. Authorities are reportedly also looking at Patterson’s alleged crash landing in a Tippah County field for further crimes.
Cops have said they were told about the pilot in the air over Tupelo at 5 a.m. on Saturday. The suspect, later identified as Patterson, contacted E911 and threatened to crash the plane into the Walmart on West Main.
Police reportedly said Patterson had stolen a Beechcraft King Air c90 from Tupelo Regional Airport.
From cops:
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.
Negotiators, family, and others communicated with him during the flight, authorities said. At one point, he was convinced to land with the help of a pilot over the radio, but he aborted while descending and flew north toward the city of Ripley,...
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