{"id":2096,"date":"2026-05-20T22:01:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T22:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/?p=2096"},"modified":"2026-05-20T22:01:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T22:01:30","slug":"sheriff-man-threatened-walmart-mass-shooting-if-hantavirus-led-to-lockdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/?p=2096","title":{"rendered":"Sheriff: Man threatened Walmart mass shooting if hantavirus led to lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><div><div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2095\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/fc1d1be4d37b7598e68ab4696ec143b0.webp\" width=\"764\" srcset=\"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/fc1d1be4d37b7598e68ab4696ec143b0.webp 764w, https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/fc1d1be4d37b7598e68ab4696ec143b0-300x170.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px\" \/><\/figure>\n <span>article<\/span><\/div> <div><\/div> <!-- --><\/div> <!-- --> <!-- --><p><span><strong>MARION COUNTY, Ark.<\/strong> &#8211; <\/span>A 20-year-old Arkansas man has been arrested after authorities say he threatened to carry out a mass shooting at a local Walmart if the country were locked down again because of the hantavirus.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/?p=2093\">SpaceX reveals plans for what could be the biggest-ever IPO<\/a><\/p> <p>Dig deeper:<\/p> <!-- --><p>According to Marion County Sheriff Gregg Alexander, Aaron Keith Bynum was taken into custody on charges of first-degree terroristic threatening, a Class D felony, and harassing communications, a Class A misdemeanor.<\/p> <!-- --><div><\/div> <!-- --><p><strong>RELATED: <\/strong><strong>Colorado reports adult death linked to hantavirus<\/strong><\/p> <!-- --><p>The backstory:<\/p> <!-- --><p>The investigation began on May 9, 2026, when the FBI\u2019s National Threat Operations Center received an electronic tip from a player participating in an online multiplayer game. The reporting individual alleged that another player threatened violence during an online gaming session. The tip included the suspect\u2019s username and an in-game recording of the alleged threats.<\/p> <!-- --> <!-- --><p>Federal investigators traced the account after issuing a subpoena to the game\u2019s parent company on May 11. Authorities identified Bynum as the owner of the account. Two days later, the FBI\u2019s Fayetteville Field Office contacted the Marion County Sheriff\u2019s Office and turned the case over to the department\u2019s Criminal Investigation Division.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/?p=2090\">OSHA investigating construction site death at SpaceX\u2019s Starbase: Reports<\/a><\/p> <!-- --><p><strong>RELATED: <\/strong><strong>How does Ebola spread? What to know as Congo outbreak worsens<\/strong><\/p> <!-- --><p>Investigators with the sheriff\u2019s office obtained a search warrant for Bynum\u2019s residence on May 14, along with a probable cause affidavit for his arrest. Authorities executed the warrant the following day, seizing a computer and related electronic equipment while processing the scene.<\/p> <!-- --><p>Bynum was arrested without incident and transported to the Marion County Detention Center, where he was booked and processed.<\/p> <!-- --><p>What&#8217;s next:<\/p> <!-- --><p>Officials said Bynum faces one count of first-degree terroristic threatening and one count of harassing communications. Bond was set at $2,500.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/houstonmovingjournal.com\/?p=2085\">Hyundai recalls over 54,000 Elantra hybrid vehicles over fire risk<\/a><\/p> <!-- --> <!-- --> <!-- --> <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Arkansas man is facing felony charges after authorities say he threatened to carry out a mass shooting at a Walmart if the country went into another lockdown because of the hantavirus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2094,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[146,151],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arkansas","category-terrorism"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Sheriff: Man threatened Walmart mass shooting if hantavirus led to lockdown - 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