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Walmart Gang Initiation: Shooting Texts a Mass Urban Legend Hoax
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by Tina Kells | March 19, 2009 at 02:21 pm
62055 views | 38 Recommendations | 458 comments
Reports of a text message about a gang initiation stunt requiring the random shooting of people at a Walmart are a hoax. (See the comments stream below for a growing list of people in different parts of the United States and Canada who have received this hoax text)
Please continue to add any reports of text messages received to the comments stream below. This story appears to be a bigger issue than first reported and the fear it is generating is very real. People are texting and messaging loved ones and friends, "don't go to Walmart" and the hoax is testing the limits of viral fear.
Rumors of plans for a Walmart gang initiation shooting spree in Springfield, Kentucky were reported by some local media outlets. Kentucky police immediately responded that they had received no such reports but people remained panicked.
Many people called KY3 News starting about 2:15 p.m. Thursday to say they received this text message on their cellular telephones: "do not go to wal-mart tonight. gang initiation to shoot 3 women. not sure what wal-mart and confirmed on TV."
This message is a hoax. Springfield police know nothing about it. KY3 News did not report it or start the text message.
Snopes.com, which debunks or verifies electronically-spread rumors spread, says this hoax, or a variant of it, has been around since 2005.
More reports of other planned Walmart shootings popped up in other states suggesting the urban legend may be part of a targeted rumor spreading spree. Police in Florida were also dealing with false reports of a gang initiation shooting in an Orange County Walmart store.
The messages claim that either on Wednesday night or Thursday three women and possibly two men would be murdered at a Florida Walmart parking lot as part of a gang initiation
Officials in South Florida said it’s nothing but a rumor that's been going on for years.
On Wednesday evening, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said they haven’t heard of the rumor in this area, but then again it’s nothing to worry about.
A spokesperson with Walmart said Wednesday the company is aware of the e-mail.
They told News 13 the security of its employees and customers are a top priority, and even though they believe this is just a rumor, they are taking it seriously and working with local authorities to beef up security measures.
Officials also said the age of technology could be why this rumor is spreading so quickly as people simply forward the email to their friends and family.
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The Walmart shooting hoax is well known to police as an urban legend. The idea of a random shooting spree as a gang initiation first made the rounds in 2005 and continues to pop up from time to time.
Known as the Wal-Martyred hoax it usually includes a text message being sent claiming a woman, child or elderly person will be killed by gang wannabes. The latest incarnation of this urban legend had gang initiates targeting three women in a Walmart shooting spree.
WAL-MARTYRED
Claim: Gang initiates must assault or kill a woman, child or elderly person at a Wal-mart.
FALSE
E-mails circulated, warning of deadly gang initiations involving the killing of women and children who were shopping at Walmart.
But no such slayings were ever reported, Snopes reports.But like the e-mails telling of gang initiations the involve the killing of drivers who flash their headlights at oncoming cars or the dire warnings a couple of years ago how new gang members are knocking on doors and killing whoever answers, the rumor just keeps on trucking.
Over the year, it has circulated with variations and "new" details, as such e-mail hoaxes tend to do.
UPDATES:
The story of the Walmart gang initiation hoax texts continues to deepen. A growing number of reports have surfaced across the United States about various text messages of this nature being received (see comment stream below). It appears that this is a massive shooting hoax that is occurring nationwide.
A comment made to this story suggested a shooting in Chattanooga had happened but further investigation by NowPublic revealed it was also part of the hoax.
Several local law enforcement agencies are reassuring the public that reports of a shooting at a Wal-Mart is nothing but a hoax.
Sergeant Jerri Weary with Chattanooga Police says her department received several phone calls reporting a text message about a shooting at the Hamilton Place Wal-Mart as part of a gang initiation. Sgt Weary said it's nothing but a hoax that's been reported in several states but has not proved to be valid. She says the text warning was sent out Wednesday advising people to stay away from Wal-Mart because people would be shot and killed. Sgt Weary emphasized there have been no reported incidents at any of the Chattanooga area Wal-Marts.
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at 16:44 on March 19th, 2009
I just got the same text message... and I live in Henderson, NV. It definitely must be going around!
at 17:21 on March 19th, 2009
same in Honolulu, Hawaii .
wondering... how did it travel from state to state VERY fast. if its so called 'true' wouldn't people just send it others who live there and not completely somewhere else, and the stories are somewhat alike. WEIRD to the fullest. people, should just stop with the act, and stop making false stories. but people should still be careful.
at 18:13 on March 19th, 2009
It is the viral effect of technology. Scary stuff with things like this.
at 20:53 on March 19th, 2009
I received this text today after my lunch break. Looks like it made it to 90210!
at 21:10 on March 19th, 2009
I recieved approximately 10 text messeges today saying this also!! I live in Lincoln Nebraska and I think it is sad that someone has to start rumors of this sort and get the country in a state of panic!!! I do think we should take it seriously though because in this day and age anything can happen! The police should as well!!!
at 21:13 on March 19th, 2009
I recieved approximately 10 text messeges today saying this also!! I live in Lincoln Nebraska and I think it is sad that someone has to start rumors of this sort and get the country in a state of panic!!! I do think we should take it seriously though because in this day and age anything can happen! The police should as well!!!
at 22:24 on March 19th, 2009
I got that text and sent it to everyone! I feel retarted! Ugh. Oh yeah I live in Alaska
at 04:20 on March 20th, 2009
Yeah
My friends and I all recieved this message after softball practice
i live in northern illinois
at 06:25 on March 20th, 2009
Yes City of Denver and surrounding cities all had an alert out till they found out it was ahoax on March 18th, 2009
at 11:27 on March 20th, 2009
I got the same text yesterday
at 13:58 on March 20th, 2009
i got it yesterday... So did a bunch of my friends I live in North Vernon, Indiana
at 16:28 on March 20th, 2009
i reside here in Washingon State, and have received the text message 5 times in the last 2 days from family members. Then heard about it at work today, confirming that it will be in one of our local towns, Lakewood. The message warns that 3 women will be shot and killed at a wal mart for a gang initiation.
at 22:00 on March 20th, 2009
We live in British Columbia Canada & my wife just got one tonight. I'm glad I google searched before calling our local police department.
at 17:07 on March 19th, 2009
Let me say this...there are cops at every walmart in the Northern VA area. And since it has been said to be a hoax then y wouldnt a gang do it because they think no one will be there to stop them becasue it is a "HOAX." so just to be safe stay away from walmart. Also I have friends that talked to the police at walmart in this area and thye are taking it serious. Also there are 6 ppl the cops are looking for in Stafford, VA becasue it did happen. SO IF U WOULD LIKE TO LIVE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!!
at 10:13 on March 20th, 2009
dumb logic, actually illogic. NO GANG is going to announce ahead of time they plan to commit capital murder. No one is that stupid, except the people who reforward this kind of thing. NO it didn't happen in Stafford Va. Another hoax. You need better filters.
at 17:07 on March 19th, 2009
I just got the text too in Eugene, OR. WOW! it does really take 4 years for information to travel from east coast to west coast. LOL!
at 17:11 on March 19th, 2009
Me too. My text said 20 women...and I live in CA.
at 20:08 on March 19th, 2009
i got it too but it was 3 woman
at 17:12 on March 19th, 2009
FROM HAWAII - got the same text message. Wondering... how did it get all the way down here?
at 23:41 on March 19th, 2009
SAME-FROM HAWAI'I
I have no idea!! I have a bunch of people I know in the mainland, and most of them didn't get it, but it was like /everyone/ in Hawai'i got it.
It may be a rumor, but I'd suggest staying away from Wal-Mart for a two or three days, in case someone dares to play on the rumor.
I thought it was just a conspiracy against wal-mart until everyone started talking about it and saying things like 'confirmed on the news' and 'someone was shot in Arizonia' or something. idk...it was just a weird thing.
at 17:16 on March 19th, 2009
I recieved the same text from three of my friends....I live in Seattle, WA. It is definitely a hoax!
at 17:17 on March 19th, 2009
ya i just got it. Way out here in Riverside, California. Wow.
I mean, I'm taking it seriously, but i'm pretty sure its
just a dumb hoax, like seriously. No worries
at 17:20 on March 19th, 2009
Wow! Thank you to all people posting about this text message hoax. It seems to be VERY widespread.
at 06:26 on March 20th, 2009
I live in Rockford, IL area and it has started here - The email stated "original message from WREX (out local news) Beaware of Gang rivals - 3 women and 3 men will be killed at wal-mart.
I deleted it. It sound fake and is fake - I watch the news often and if there was any danger to the public we would have heard about and it - and it wouldn't be via text. Is it scary? To some, maybe - should we be careful? Most DEF! But we should be careful no matter what and where we are or what we do. Fear can not and should not stop you from living your life.
Now, time for me to go to Wal-Mart, K-mart, and McDonalds! :)
at 17:25 on March 19th, 2009
I got the text message earlier today also. I live in Woodburn/Gervais.
this is very scary!
at 17:31 on March 19th, 2009
I just got this text too, I'm in Seattle, WA. This is crazy, it really freaked me out at first. Then I just googled it. If it is a hoax it seems as if someone is trying to get people to stop buying from Walmart. If people beleive it undoubtedly they'll stay away and Walmart's sales will suffer. It sounds like this text is going around all over the US. The funny thing is I didn't get it from anyone I know, the number is unfamiliar to me.
at 17:37 on March 19th, 2009
this is pretty concerning. a woman at a walmart in chattanooga tn was shot in the past couple of hours.
at 17:39 on March 19th, 2009
Hi, do you have any links to that incident? It will be the first reported shooting of this kind.
at 17:41 on March 19th, 2009
I found this and thought you may find it interesting, apparently Chatanooga is safe and the reports of a shooting there are also a confirmed hoax.
Source: wrcbtv.com
at 07:10 on March 20th, 2009
that is not true. there was a shooting back in DEC in Rogersville at a walmart but not in chattanoog that is a hoax.