BY LINDA BENTLEY | NOVEMBER 30, 2011
Walmart bomb scare caused brief evacuation
While it turned out not to be an explosive device, it was a ‘very good prop’ with wires and markings that caused major concerns
The Cave Creek Walmart store was evacuated briefly Thursday night, due to a suspicious-looking device found in the employee break room, about an hour before “Black Friday” specials were set to begin.
Photo by Linda Bentley
CAVE CREEK – Only about an hour before “Black Friday” specials were set to begin, which Walmart and some other retailers decided to start on Thursday this year, the Cave Creek Walmart store was evacuated after what appeared to be an explosive device was found in the refrigerator of the employee break room.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad responded to the scene with a robot, which “disrupted” the bomb in place to render it safe.
According to MCSO Lt. Rich Burden, the “disrupter” is a type of water cannon that basically blows the device apart, disconnecting wires, battery packs, end caps and any other suspicious components.
While the suspicious-looking mechanism turned out not to be an explosive device, Burden said it was a “very good prop that had wires and markings on it which caused major concerns.”
Walmart shoppers were inconvenienced for about an hour or so before they were allowed back into the store to resume their deal-seeking holiday shopping.
MCSO detectives and MCSO Homeland Security personnel are currently tracking down leads in an attempt to apprehend a suspect.
