Sunday, May 17, 2026 - An Arkansas man has been arrested after allegedly threatening to carry out a mass shooting at a Walmart if a hantavirus outbreak led to a shutdown in the United States
According to authorities, Aaron Keith Bynum was arrested by
deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office. He has been charged with
making terroristic threats, a felony offence, and harassing communications, a
misdemeanour.
Police said the alleged threat was made while Bynum was
participating in an online game. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reportedly
received a tip regarding the threat, which included the suspect’s alleged
online username.
Investigators said the FBI used the information to subpoena
the gaming company linked to the account. According to police, the company
confirmed Bynum was the account holder before passing the information to local
authorities.
Deputies later executed a probable cause search warrant at
his residence, where officers allegedly seized his computer equipment before
placing him under arrest. Bynum is currently being held at the Marion County
Detention Center on $2,500 bail.
The case comes amid heightened public attention surrounding
hantavirus following a deadly outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship
earlier this year. Three people died during the outbreak, while 11 additional
passengers reportedly became ill and required hospital treatment, with eight
cases officially confirmed as hantavirus infections.
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