90-Second Read: Arkansas man allegedly threatened to carry out mass shooting at Walmart if Hantavirus outbreak caused lockdown

An Arkansas man allegedly threatened to shoot up his local Walmart if the ongoing Hantavirus outbreak were to cause a coronavirus-era lockdown. Bynum allegedly told other players that he would open fire inside his nearest local Walmart "if the country were locked down again due to the Hantavirus." Another gamer on the server reported the threat to the FBI's National Threats Operations Center on May 9. Early reports of the outbreak caused widespread panic over the fear of a new pandemic, but health officials have stressed that there is no need for major concern.

Aaron Keith Bynum, 20, was arrested on Friday for making the purported mass shooting threat while gaming online, according to a news release from the Marion County Sheriff's Office. The Hantavirus outbreak originated on the MV Hondius cruise ship. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently monitoring 41 people for possible infection.

The bulk of those under supervision were passengers on the cruise, while others were on international flights with a symptomatic traveller from the ship. Hantavirus is typically spread through contact with an infected rodent or its excrement. The anonymous tipster also provided a username and an in-game recording that captured the moment the threat was made.