Police arrest white supremacist for threatening Walmart attack
[ Remember, Trumphumpers like Tucker Carlson say white supremacy is a hoax and doesn't even exist. ]
Chris Riotta
,
The Independent•August 11, 2019
Police arrest white supremacist for threatening Walmart attack
A white supremacist has been arrested after he posted a message on Facebook threatening a shooting at a Walmart in Florida, police have said.
Richard Clayton, 26, was arrested after making an online threat on Friday, according to police, just days after a gunman stormed a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 22 people. That suspect, Patrick Crusius, reportedly posted an anti-immigrant screed on the online messaging forum 8chan shortly before the mass shooting.
Mr Clayton reportedly wrote on Facebook: “3 more days of probation left then I get my AR-15 back.”
“Don’t go to Walmart next week,” the post continued.
He was charged with making written threats to kill or do bodily harm, according to Florida officials, who told the Associated Press he was held on $15,000 (£12,461) bond at the Orange County Jail.
The Florida Department of Law enforcement said in a statement: “Law enforcement has zero tolerance for threats being made and will utilise the full force of the Joint Terrorism Task Force to ensure the public’s safety.”
The country has been on high alert amid a wave of deadly mass shootings and an apparent rise in domestic terror incidents which FBI Director Christopher Wray attributed to violent white supremacy during a public Senate hearing this summer.
A day before Mr Clayton’s arrest, a man was charged with “making a terrorist threat in the first degree" after walking into a Missouri Walmart earlier in the week donning full body armour while carrying multiple firearms and over 100 rounds of ammunition.
The suspect, 23-year-old Conor Climo from Las Vegas, reportedly possessed bomb-making materials and shared white supremacist and neo-Nazi sentiments with an undercover FBI agent.
Another Florida resident was charged with threatening an attack just one day after the Walmart shooting, calling one of the chain stores in the town of Gibsonton and reportedly threatening to “shoot up the store”.
There have also been a series of false alarms in recent weeks where crowds have mistaken loud noises for mass shootings, including in Times Square, New York.
news.yahoo.com
One of the false alarms occurred the other day in Memorial City Mall in Houston:
Man with half mask on threatens to kill himself, resulting in mass panic at Memorial City Mall: HPD
By Natalie Hee, FOX 26 News
Posted Aug 11 2019 03:47PM CDT
Video Posted Aug 12 2019 07:18AM CDT
Updated Aug 12 2019 07:18AM CDT
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Chaos and panic broke out at Memorial City Mall Sunday afternoon after a masked suspect made a suicidal threat and sent a swarm of shoppers running for safety. Authorities are still searching for that suspect.
According to surveillance video, investigators said the suspect was first spotted going up the escalators to the movie theatre. When the suspect came back down a few minutes later, he had put on what’s described as a red, half mask. Authorities said the suspect then slowly trotted towards the center of the food court where he jumped on a table, and declared to the crowd that he was going to kill himself.
Police said the suspect then dropped an unidentified object in a bag and fled towards the south exit of the mall near some apartment complexes.
Houston Police
?@houstonpolice
Asst. Chief Victorian and Precinct Five Constable Ted Heap provide an update on the incident at Memorial City Mall. t.co
Houston Police @houstonpoliceAsst. Chief Victorian and Precinct Five Constable Ted Heap provide an update on the incident at Memorial City Mall.
pscp.tv
6:00 PM - Aug 11, 2019
Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap said the suspect’s threat sent the crowd into panic mode.
“People ran in hysteria when somebody said they were going to kill themselves and it escalated from there,” Heap said.
Heap said the object appeared to have been wrapped in toilet paper then an outside plastic bag,.
“You could’ve heard a pop when that bag was thrown down on the ground, but there was definitely no active shooter,” Heap said.
Initial reports said there were fireworks at the scene but police said that was not true.
“None of the witnesses said anything about fireworks. In the chaos people may have just assumed it was an active shooter but there's no evidence that there was shots fired or firecrackers,” said Houston Police Asst. Chief Sheryl Victorian.
Aalyssa Carrillo was looking for a parking spot when she spotted the swarm of horrified people running out of various exits of the mall, some scrambling to get into their cars.
“First thing that comes to my mind is there's an active shooter inside and we need to get as far away as possible,” Carrillo said.
“All the people coming outside and the looks on their faces and them hollering and people on the phone, carrying kids, kids running-- you know, it was just really scary to see. We started seeing ambulance cars start pulling up. People were just driving crazy. People were running red lights trying to get out of the mall,” Carrillo continued.
Authorities said some shoppers banged on the doors of two off-duty Harris County Sheriff’s Deputies who happened to be stationed in the mall’s parking lot.
The investigation has now become a joint effort from federal, state and local authorities who are searching for the man they say made a terroristic threat. Authorities describe the suspect as a white, male in his late teens or early 20s.
Authorities said two people—a 16-year-old boy and his mother sustained minor injuries were sent to the hospital for treatment.
“They got caught up in the mass hysteria of the exit. It appears we probably have a minor ankle or leg injury and then the mother was stepped on a couple times on her back as she was trying to help her son,” Heap said.
Shoppers who may have left belongings behind amidst the chaos may pick them up from the mall’s customer service during business hours on Monday.
Authorities said the suspect is not in custody yet. However, they do have a clear photograph of him from the surveillance video and will be releasing that to the public soon.
Anyone who knows anything about this incident is urged to call Crimestoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Natalie Hee FOX 26@NatalieHee
HPD said no suspect in custody yet but they have a clear photograph of him from surveillance. Initial description is white male in late teens wearing a half mask. Suspect apparently stood on table in middle of food court at Memorial City Mall and said he was going to kill himself
25
6:28 PM - Aug 11, 2019
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Houston Police
?@houstonpolice
HPD officers are on the scene at Memorial City Mall following up on reports of a possible active shooter. No threat has been found at this time but officers are still continuing a diligent search of the area. More information will be provided as it becomes available. #hounews
3:52 PM - Aug 11, 2019
Houston Police
?@houstonpolice
HPD officers are on the scene at Memorial City Mall following up on reports of a possible active shooter. No threat has been found at this time but officers are still continuing a diligent search of the area. More information will be provided as it becomes available. #hounews
Houston Police
?@houstonpolice
UPDATE: This is NOT an active shooter incident. Preliminary information is a male suspect set off firecrackers inside the mall, alarming patrons throughout the mall. The male has not been located.
1,617
4:12 PM - Aug 11, 2019
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