An Arkansas man, Aaron Bynum, aged 20, was detained for allegedly threatening a mass shooting at a local Walmart. This threat was in response to potential lockdowns related to the hantavirus outbreak, according to authorities.
The arrest took place on Friday, as reported by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Bynum is charged with first-degree terroristic threatening and harassing communications.
Investigation and Arrest
The arrest followed an investigation into threats that Bynum allegedly made online on May 9. The investigation was sparked by a tip from the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center. An individual playing an online video game reported hearing threats of a Walmart shooting if the country faced another lockdown due to hantavirus.
Authorities received the player’s gamer username and an in-game recording of the threats. The game’s parent company, after receiving a subpoena, identified Bynum as the account holder. This prompted the FBI’s Fayetteville Field Office to notify local authorities in Marion County.
Search and Seizure
Authorities executed a search warrant at Bynum’s home, confiscating his computer and related devices. Bynum was arrested without any resistance and held at the Marion County Detention Center with a $2,500 bond.
Hantavirus Outbreak Details
This threat coincides with concerns over a hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. The World Health Organization reported, as of May 13, that the outbreak involved 11 cases, including eight confirmed cases. Three deaths were reported. However, the risk to the global population remains low.
Among the cases, one Canadian tested positive after returning from the MV Hondius, raising the confirmed cases linked to the ship to 10. While this outbreak draws comparisons to the coronavirus pandemic, experts like Dr. Marc Siegel of Fox News state there’s no parallel. Hantavirus transmission requires close contact and is not airborne.
Additional Information
The strain involved, known as Andes virus, is the only hantavirus capable of person-to-person spread, which remains a rare occurrence. Dr. Siegel emphasized the difficulty in transmitting hantavirus, stating it doesn’t travel through airborne droplets.