An Arkansas man has been arrested after allegedly threatening to carry out a mass shooting at a Walmart if a hantavirus outbreak forced the United States to shut down.
According to authorities, Aaron Keith Bynum was taken into custody by deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office. He faces charges of making terroristic threats, a felony, and harassing communications, a misdemeanor.
Police stated that the alleged threat was made while Bynum was participating in an online game. The Federal Bureau of Investigation received a tip regarding the threat, which included the suspect's online username.
Investigators said the FBI used this information to subpoena the gaming company linked to the account. The company confirmed that Bynum was the account holder and passed the information to local authorities.
Deputies later executed a probable cause search warrant at his residence, seizing his computer equipment before placing him under arrest. Bynum is currently held at the Marion County Detention Center on $2,500 bail.
This incident comes amid heightened public attention on hantavirus following a deadly outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship earlier this year. Three people died during the outbreak, and 11 additional passengers became ill, requiring hospital treatment. Eight cases were officially confirmed as hantavirus infections.
