The pilot -- who stole an airplane and threatened it to crash into the Walmart store in Tupelo, Mississippi -- has safely landed the plane in a field. The plane was down in Ashland, nearly 60 miles northwest of Tupelo.
The pilot has been identified Cory Patterson, 29, a Shannon resident who has worked at Tupelo Aviation for nearly 10 years. He has been arrested and is being charged with grand larceny and making terrorist threats.
Patterson Is Being Charged With Grand Larceny, Making Terrorist Threats
The federal government is also expected to press charges, according to the police.
On Sunday morning, around 5 am, he stole a Beechcraft King Air 90, which was fully fueled, from the Tupelo Regional Airport. After taking off the plane, he contacted emergency responders and briefed them about his intention to crash the plane at the Walmart store.
Patterson Worked At Tupelo Airport
Patterson worked in Tupelo airport for nearly a decade. He used to fill the planes at the facility. According to the police, he had some flight instruction but no license.
"Sorry everyone. Never actually wanted to hurt anyone. I love my parents and sister this isn't your fault. Goodbye," Patterson wrote in a Facebook post.
Patterson's Posts Indicate That He's An Experienced Pilot
His multiple FB posts indicate that he is an experienced pilot as pictures show him airborne.
He made a post in 2019, which shows ex-President Donald Trump arriving at the Tupelo airport on his Air Force One.
"The Secret Service told us to wait in the vehicle (they were stricter on this one than they were the last time he came). But you can tell he's the one on the front coming down the stairs cause of the red tie, and the hair!," said Patterson in the post.
Patterson Circled Aircraft Over Tupelo For Hours
The police worked with Walmart West and Dodges on West Main to evacuate the stores and disperse people as much as possible.
Multiple videos of the plane uploaded on the internet show, the aircraft circling over Tupelo for more than an hour on Sunday.
The incident has created panic among the residents. Users on social media are reacting to the dramatic incident.
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