United States: In the US state of Mississippi, a pilot who threatened to crash his small plane into a Walmart store landed in a field and was captured, according to officials.

According to Connie Strickland, a dispatcher with the Benton County Sheriff's Office, the twin-engine Beechcraft plane, which had been hovering over the city of Tupelo and the surrounding area for hours, made an emergency landing at around 11:25 a.m. local time.

According to CNN, the pilot, identified by Tupelo Police Chief John Kwaka as Shannon resident Corey Wayne Patterson, will face charges of grand theft and making terroristic threats.

According to Kwaka, there was likely to be an additional federal fee.

It was still unknown why the strange theft occurred.
Kwaka claimed that although Patterson had undergone some flight training and worked for Tupelo Aviation for ten years – where his duties included fueling the aircraft – he did not appear to be a licensed pilot.

An earlier police statement claimed the pilot had "deliberately threatened to crash into a Walmart on West Maine" when he called the Tupelo emergency operator at around 5 p.m.

People were evacuated from large departmental stores and a nearby gas station and asked to stay away.

Kwaka claimed that Patterson was radioed by Tupelo police negotiators, who were able to persuade him to land at the airport instead of crashing the plane.

An experienced private pilot was brought in to guide Patterson during the landing as he lacked landing experience.
Kwaka claimed that he abruptly abandoned the landing and headed northwest, away from Tupelo.

Around this time, Patterson apparently ran out of fuel and posted a "goodbye" message on his Facebook page, according to the police chief.

But he was able to make a field landing and tell the police where he was.

He "landed very hard," according to Roxanne Ward, 42, a local who told CNN he heard a loud "thud."
If Patterson was hurt, it was unclear.

Kwaka told reporters he had spoken to Patterson's family, who were "very concerned" for his well-being.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the incident is being investigated.

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