Truemors
is reporting from
Member
NP Rank:
NP Rank:
Walmart Gang Initiation: Shooting Texts a Mass Urban Legend Hoax
Share:
by Tina Kells | March 19, 2009 at 02:21 pm
62288 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.
Photos
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.
What is NowPublic?
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
Most Recommended Comment
Crowd Power
Related Stories
Recommendations (38)
duo
Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States
Ravi Dixit
Mumbai, IndiaAnonymous users (14)
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (458)
at 03:42 on March 20th, 2009
My friends and I all received this text last night. I am not inclined to believe any forwarded texts or emails that I receive anymore. I have to say though... it didn't help my feel more comfortable going to Wal-Mart. The only Wal-Mart I feel safe in anymore is almost an hour away. All the closer ones have had some really scary people in them!
at 04:10 on March 20th, 2009
The same message is going around Northeast Ohio. I didn't get a text but got a call from someone who did. This someone called the police who sent out a detective who said that the story is true. I'm confused. No plans to go to Walmart anytime soon anyway. We were just there yesterday.
at 04:13 on March 20th, 2009
Yep here too(Canton, Ohio) and they even specified what walmart. And I hate forwards, but being it was something concerning people's lives I sent it out to everyone...and it frustrated me more than ever sending forwards. Plus at first I thought it was really weird that people were saying "Don't go to Walmart, there has been a shooting"-because obviously if there is a shooting in walmart it would be shut down...you wouldnt go in there if there was a shooting...I dont think a "gangster" would hang around and wait for more people to show up. Even though its great how fast text messages spread...it wouldnt be fast enough! Still people are finding our this morning...
at 04:13 on March 20th, 2009
lies all these lies
at 04:16 on March 20th, 2009
I received this text 3 times within an hour. people should know by now that things like that are like stupid chain letters. especially when it doesn't sat what walmart its going to happen at. do you know how much walmarts are in Hawaii?
at 04:36 on March 20th, 2009
This showed up in south central PA and Maryland this week, I got three messages about it on 3/19/09.
at 04:36 on March 20th, 2009
I got a forwarded text that a gang planned on shooting 3 woman at an unknown Walmart and that it was true because they heard about it from the news and to forward the text to all of the girls on my phone.
at 04:52 on March 20th, 2009
i got the same one several times as well in tennessee and i also got one that said it had happen in cartesville ga last night.. to stay in doors and away from walmart
at 05:10 on March 20th, 2009
I got the text last night saying dont go to walmart because three women will be killed for a gang initiation. Then I received a text hours later saying a woman was shot and killed at the walmart in chattanooga.
at 05:14 on March 20th, 2009
I received this text yesterday from 5 different people. I ignored it just like I ignore chain email.
at 05:23 on March 20th, 2009
It went all around Pittsburgh, PA as well....have heard whether or not they verified it or not yet...
at 05:23 on March 20th, 2009
I got the tex message from an unfamilar number thursday about 4:30. However, I live in Leonardtown, MD (Southern Maryland). This is strange how this is spreading nationwide so quickly. A friend of mine got the same text message about an hour before me and he lives in Philidelphia.
at 05:42 on March 20th, 2009
we have been getting these texts in michigan for about 2 days now. People should find other things to do that are more productive. If half the people who started this would use what brain god gave them maybe things in this country wouldnt seem like everyone is out to get everyone else.
at 05:42 on March 20th, 2009
Although this has been confirmed a hoax, My personal belief is that since that text is out there.. it's just as dangerous as if it was a real message. Uneducated teens that have nothing better to do are more likely to pick up on the text message and either think it's legit or make it so on their own agenda. I suggest to error on the side of caution. I have been in the business of protecting others while they sleep for a decade from issues like these... just food for thought...
at 05:42 on March 20th, 2009
I heard about this at the Dr.'s office yesterday. And I think the "urban legend" has started because of a real incident. I haven't looked this up to verify it but here it is:
A 18 year old girl in the Dr.'s office said that about 4 or 5 years ago her boyfriend was hangin' out in KMart parking lot in Athens, TN (which for years is were all the teens would go park and hang out at night after it closed). She said that a guy walked up and pointed a gun in his face, they struggled and her boyfriend was shot in the leg and another boy there was shot in the neck. Both boys survived. There was also a fight that broke out
at 05:50 on March 20th, 2009
Well thanks for posting this about the text-I live in NY & would not doubt if this was true~~~ But Thanks
at 06:04 on March 20th, 2009
It made it to SD. So many ppl I know have been getting shot lately, I didnt think twice about doubting it. I still dont want to give this the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn't be suprised if gang members in this area would carry it out once ppl realize it was a hoax. Its very scary.
at 06:05 on March 20th, 2009
I received this yesterday, about 3 woman to be murdered. You never know in this day and age, what is true and what is not. Better to be safe than sorry. I forwarded to my daughers who also received it more than once. I live in northern New Jersey.
at 06:07 on March 20th, 2009
i got the text yeaturday that there was going to be 3 women shot at one of the walmarts in illinois and so did my boyfriend.
at 06:10 on March 20th, 2009
my friends an I got this same text and we live in monett, mo not a very big place. a lot of my friends work at walmart and I guess the storr has been shot at twice and no one knows about it other than the employees, that's what made the message seem so real to them though.
at 06:15 on March 20th, 2009
i got the same message wednesday night in indiana. if its been round so long, how come nobody ever heard of it till now??
at 06:19 on March 20th, 2009
It made it to southeast Oklahoma also.
at 06:21 on March 20th, 2009
I got the text message while doing some grocery shopping at walmart in Easton, PA. It had me a lil worried because I had gotten from more than one person.
at 06:22 on March 20th, 2009
I got the text message while doing some grocery shopping at walmart in Easton, PA. I was a lil worried since I received it from more than one person.
at 06:28 on March 20th, 2009
Live in Alabama, got the same text.
at 06:37 on March 20th, 2009
i received the same message yesterday also, i'm in ATX who knows it may be false but some wannabe might take it and run......... Just be careful.........
at 06:38 on March 20th, 2009
I would like to know if this is to be a Hoax how is everyone's cell phone numbers and address being known , I think it is Gods way of warning us that this is something to be aware of ,, and should not be said to be a Hoax for we all know God speaks to us in his own way . And if it ends up to be taken as a Hoax then the people at the cell phone companies should be fines for giving out peoples cell phone numbers ,, which we know is against the Hipa regulations and the companies should be looked in to and fined for selling our numbers and or information
NJ Mom
at 06:39 on March 20th, 2009
Please read... http://www.wrcbtv.com/global/story.asp?S=10037757
at 06:40 on March 20th, 2009
I live in horn lake mississippi right out side of memphis. and ive been getting the text all week. and yesterday i got one that said two women where shot at two different wal marts in Ar..
at 06:43 on March 20th, 2009
i got this text and i sent it to everyone.
if its a hoax okay. big deal whatever.
but if its not and i didnt send it and something happened to a friend or family member i would have been so upset.