The suspect accused of threatening to crash into a Walmart in Tupelo after stealing a Beechcraft King Air C90 twine engine aircraft has been arrested and charged.
On Saturday morning, Cory Patterson of Shannon was reported to have taken off in the stolen airplane at the Tupelo Regional Airport around 5:00 a.m. before calling 911 to make the threat. The Walmart and surrounding businesses on West Main were then evacuated as the Tupelo Police Department began to assess the situation.
At 9:32 a.m., Patterson made a Facebook post apologizing to his family, with Tupelo Police Chief John Quaka saying that it was Patterson’s “goodbye message.”
“Sorry everyone. Never wanted to actually hurt anyone. I love my parents and sister this isn’t your fault. Goodbye,” the post read.
Quaka explained that Patterson had access to the planes due to his position as a lineman at the airport for 10 years.
Less than an hour later, Patterson was convinced to land the plane in a soybean field near the Gravestown Fire Department.
Thank you to all to local, state, and federal law enforcement who took part in resolving this situation peacefully. #MHP #CourtesyServiceSafety pic.twitter.com/sEN45bCn20
— MHP New Albany (@MHPTroopF) September 3, 2022
Now, Patterson has been taken into custody and charged with grand larceny and making terroristic threats.
