A Baymeadows Road Walmart Neighborhood Market turned into a pre-work scare zone early Thursday after an anonymous caller threatened to detonate an explosive device using a vehicle in the store parking lot, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Deputies and explosive-detection K-9 teams swept the building and surrounding lot and found no device, and nearby businesses were back open within a couple of hours. As of now, no suspect has been identified.
Police response
Officers were called around 6:20 a.m. to the Walmart on Baymeadows Road near State Road 115 after an unknown caller reported a threat to detonate an explosive using a vehicle in the parking lot, First Coast News reported. Store management moved customers and employees across the street with a safety officer while deputies secured the area. Officers working with police K-9 units searched the store and parking lot and did not locate any explosive device. By about 8:10 a.m., businesses in the shopping center were allowed to return to normal operations, according to the sheriff's office.
Where it happened
The threat targeted the Baymeadows Road Walmart Neighborhood Market near Southside Boulevard, also known as State Road 115. Walmart lists the store's address as 9550 Baymeadows Road in Jacksonville.
Local context
This is not the first time a grocery run in the area has ended with bomb-sniffing dogs. In December, a bomb threat forced the evacuation of a Publix at Sawgrass Village, though no device was found in that case either, according to Action News Jax. That incident also brought in explosive-detection K-9 teams to help investigators clear the scene.
Investigation status
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said it does not have a suspect at this time and did not immediately provide additional information about the call or any potential motives, according to First Coast News. Investigators remained on site Thursday morning while the area was being swept.
