The Jacksonville Police Department responded to a call of a possible threat at the Wal-Mart Supercenter at 1941 West Morton Avenue Saturday afternoon.
According to Police Department officials, at 12:32 p.m. Wal-Mart employees received a phone call at the store from an unknown person who made a reference to a bomb and then immediately disconnected the call. The Jacksonville Police and Fire Department responded to the call at 12:45 p.m. and stationed personnel at each entrance while interviewing Wal-Mart staff.
The employee that took the call believed the caller to be someone of a juvenile age and store management staff deemed the incident not a creditable threat and did not wish to evacuate the store.
Jacksonville Police investigated the call while limiting access to the store for a short amount of time before deeming the call a prank in nature, and allowed customers to enter the building.
Police Department Officials stressed that at no time was there any indication members of the public were in danger, and that emergency personnel responded to the probable prank call in the same manner as if it were received by staff as a real threat to the public.
Wal-Mart is assisting the Jacksonville Police Department Investigative Division in determining the origin of the call and the identity of the caller.
Police Department Officials said the case remains under investigation at this time, and are asking that ahyone with information is urged to contact the Jacksonville Police Department Investigative Division at 217-479-4630