An Arkansas man has been arrested after allegedly threatening to carry out a mass shooting at a Walmart if a hantavirus outbreak led to a shutdown in the United States.
According to authorities, Aaron Keith Bynum was arrested by deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. He has been charged with making terroristic threats, a felony offence, and harassing communications, a misdemeanour.
Police said the alleged threat was made while Bynum was participating in an online game. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reportedly received a tip regarding the threat, which included the suspect’s alleged online username.
Investigators said the FBI used the information to subpoena the gaming company linked to the account. According to police, the company confirmed Bynum was the account holder before passing the information to local authorities.
Deputies later executed a probable cause search warrant at his residence, where officers allegedly seized his computer equipment before placing him under arrest. Bynum is currently being held at the Marion County Detention Center on $2,500 bail.
The case comes amid heightened public attention surrounding hantavirus following a deadly outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship earlier this year. Three people died during the outbreak, while 11 additional passengers reportedly became ill and required hospital treatment, with eight cases officially confirmed as hantavirus infections.