The pilot who was flying a small plane over Tupelo, Mississippi landed safely after threatening to crash into a Walmart Saturday, authorities said.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Cory Patterson safely landed the plane in a field in Ashland, roughly 60 miles northeast of Tupelo.
The Tupelo Police Department said it was notified around 5 am this morning that a pilot flying a “King Air type” airplane was threatening to crash into a Walmart located on West Main street.
Authorities confirmed the stolen plane, was a fixed-wing multi-engine 1987 Beech C90A model.
The Walmart and a Dodges eatery and gas station located near the shopping center were evacuated in order to disperse people “as much as practical,” according to authorities.
Roads in west Tupelo and near the airport were reopened as the pilot headed northeast of Tupelo, where authorities were convened.
The police department contacted Patterson, who is an employee of the Tupelo Airport, while he was still in the air.
“The plane over North MS is down,” Gov. Tate Reeves said on Twitter. “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 added.
Patterson was taken into custody by Sheriff Robby Goolsby.
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