Authorities say a man who stole a plane and flew it over Mississippi after threatening to crash it into a Walmart store faces charges of grand larceny and terroristic threats
A small airplane circles over Tupelo, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Police say the pilot of the small airplane is threatening to crash the aircraft into a Walmart store. The Tupelo Police Department said that the Walmart and a nearby convenience store had been evacuated. JACKSON, Miss. — — A man who stole a plane and flew it over northern Mississippi after threatening to crash it into a Walmart faces charges of grand larceny and terroristic threats, authorities said Saturday.
Negotiators spoke to Patterson and convinced him not carry out the threat and to land at the airport. Patterson did not have the experience to land and another pilot attempted to coach him through it.Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan said he hopes Patterson “will get the help he needs” and didn’t intend to hurt himself or others in the hours after the initial threat. Quaka said Patterson, on his Facebook page, posted what was in essence a goodbye message at about 9:30 a.m.
Michael Canders, director of the Aviation Center at Farmingdale State College in New York, called the incident “a wake-up call” for general aviation airports and their staff. “This very thing is discussed in the course, the potential for somebody gaining access and intent on damage,” he said. “It’s dependent on all of those who work at an airport. If you see someone you don't recognize or some unusual activity, you’re supposed to report that.”Leslie Criss, a magazine editor who lives in Tupelo, woke up early and was watching the situation on TV and social media. Several of her friends were outside watching the plane circle overhead.
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