Man who threatened to crash plane into Walmart reportedly didn’t have pilot license

Cory Wayne Patterson has been charged with grand larceny and making terroristic threat

APTOPIX Mississippi Airplane (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The man who flew a stolen plane over a Tupelo, Mississippi, Walmart this weekend and threatened to crash land into it does not have a pilot’s license or really any experience in landing planes, police have confirmed.

On Saturday, Tupelo Police chief John Quaka said during a press conference that Cory Wayne Patterson, 29, had been confirmed as the pilot of the plane that threatened to “intentionally crash” into the Walmart on West Main.

Mr Quaka said Mr Patterson was in custody and charged with both grand larceny and making terroristic threats before noting that the arrested man was an employee at the airport in Tupelo. The police chief added that the man’s job involved refueling planes and that he does not have a pilot’s license or experience in landing planes. Though, he said, Mr Patterson has had some flight instruction.

In addition to the aforementioned charges, Mr Patterson is expected to face federal charges, Mr Quaka said.

Earlier on Saturday, the Walmart had been evacuated after police were made aware that a pilot flying above the store threatened to “intentionally crash” into it. After circling the Walmart for awhile, the plane later made its way over the Holly Springs National Forest and crash landed safely.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confirmed in a tweet that the plane had landed with no injuries recorded.

“Thankful the situation has been resolved and that no one was injured. Thank you most of all to local, state, and federal law enforcement who managed this situation with extreme professionalism,” he wrote.