In a press release shared on their official Facebook page, the Tupelo Police Department said they were notified “at approximately 5:00 a.m.” about the pilot flying over Tupelo and Walmart. They shared that the pilot did threaten to “intentionally crash into the Walmart on West Main and confirmed that they worked with the store to ‘evacuate’ and ‘disperse people as much as possible.’ The police department also said they “spoke directly with the pilot” and that the situation is “ongoing.” Residents are advised to avoid the area until it is completely cleared. A follow-up to the release added that “at approximately 8:35 a.m.,” the plane was still airborne “north of Tupelo in Benton, Union County” and that authorities were “continuing to monitor this dangerous situation ». A government source familiar with the situation later Saturday morning told CNN that the aircraft was flying over the Holly Springs National Forest and that Tupelo police were no longer in contact with the pilot. Locals in the area shared video of the plane on Twitter, with one person noting that the plane was “flying in circles for 45 minutes around Tupelo.” An online flight tracking service also shows the plane was in orbit. The pilot is believed to be an airport employee, according to a report in the Tupelo Daily Journal. “Law enforcement and emergency managers are closely monitoring this dangerous situation,” Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement. “All citizens should be alert and aware of updates from the Tupelo Police Department.” Former state Rep. Steve Holland, who is now a funeral director in Tupelo, told The Associated Press that he has received calls from families concerned about the plane. “Someone called and said, ‘Oh my God, do we have to cancel mother’s funeral?’ Holland said. “I just told them, ‘No, life will go on.’ The pilot was confirmed to have landed safely later Saturday morning, with Gov. Reeves issuing a follow-up statement around 11:37 a.m. on Twitter saying “the plane over North MS went down” and “that no one was injured.” The pilot, who is now in police custody, has been identified as Corey Patterson.
