Pierce County deputies arrest man who threatened to shoot flare gun in Walmart

Pierce County Sheriff's Department deputies arrested a man Saturday night after he threatened to shoot shoppers with a flare gun in the children's section of the Spanaway Walmart. He also said he would shoot people with a pellet gun.

The man called 911 and told this to dispatchers, who kept him on the phone as deputies went to the scene. The man could be heard on the phone asking an employee where the flare guns were located. The man then told dispatchers that he had multiple flare guns in his cart before disconnecting the call.

Officers arrived at the scene and began searching the store for the suspect and checking store cameras to see if he was still in the store.

Deputies located a man who matched the description of the suspect in the store's family restroom. The suspect had two flare funs, eight projectile flares, a knife and a 12-gauge shotgun shell hidden under two pairs of pants.

The 52-year-old man was booked in the Pierce County Jail on suspicion of attempted assault in the second degree, felony harassment and theft in the third degree.

No one was hurt during the incident.

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