MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - As Metro Police officers responded to the theater attack in Antioch, authorities in Rutherford County took a call of a bomb threat and a potential active shooter at an area Walmart.
NewsChannel has learned that a bomb threat came into the store on Rutherford Boulevard late Wednesday afternoon, followed by reports of an active shooter.
The report took on all the more urgency when Murfreesboro police realized the Antioch theater suspect Vincente Montano, of Nashville, had links to Murfreesboro.
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Initially, officials feared the Walmart call might be linked to what happened in Antioch, however there was no link. At the time, Murfreesboro police didn't know that and they weren't taking any chances.
Officers responded and the store staff started asking customers to leave. As they were closing for a bomb sweep, one customer -- who apparently did not want to leave -- pulled a gun and pointed it at employee.
That explains the call of an active shooter, however it appears it was someone who refused to leave until he was done shopping.
Montano had family in the city and spent time there, which caused many to remain on high alert Wednesday.
No shots were ever fired. Police immediately took the suspect into custody charging him with aggravated assault. The bomb threat was a deemed to be false.
