The midmorning shopping rush at the Walmart Supercenter on East Main Street in Uvalde came to a sudden halt Wednesday after store managers received a suspicious phone call. Shoppers and employees were quickly escorted out of the building while officers moved in to secure the scene and keep people back from the entrances.
Uvalde County Constable Emmanuel Zamora said customers and staff were evacuated from the Walmart on East Main Street near Ham Lane shortly after 11 a.m. as authorities responded to a reported bomb threat, according to News 4 San Antonio. The outlet reported that the information came from a post on Zamora's Facebook page and noted that more details would be shared as investigators worked the scene.
Big-box scares around Texas this month
The Uvalde scare is the latest in a run of similar reports at major retailers across Texas. In Pearland, police cleared out a Walmart on April 7 after a caller told dispatchers that bombs had been placed inside the store. Explosive-detection K-9 teams searched the building and did not locate any devices, the Houston Chronicle reported.
In January, police in Boerne also evacuated a Walmart Supercenter after a report that an explosive device had been planted, according to MySanAntonio. In each case, stores were emptied while law enforcement treated the calls as credible until searches were finished.
Legal note
Under Texas law, knowingly making up or spreading a false report of a bombing or other emergency is not just a bad prank, it is a crime. Texas Penal Code §42.06, which covers "false alarm or report," applies when the report is likely to trigger an emergency response or put people in fear. Penalties range from misdemeanors to state-jail felonies, depending on the circumstances, according to the Texas statutes.
Where the store sits and what to expect next
The Uvalde Walmart Supercenter is listed at 3100 E. Main St., according to Walmart. At the time of the initial coverage, authorities and store representatives had not issued a full public update on the situation. News 4 San Antonio reported that it would share additional information once investigators completed their sweep of the building and determined whether it was safe to reopen.
