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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
62258 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.
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at 06:47 on March 20th, 2009
I just got the same message and I live in Novi Michigan...I hope these aren't true because I live close to walmart and shop there often!
at 06:48 on March 20th, 2009
franklin, tn got it too. everyone at my skool was talkin bout it.
at 06:48 on March 20th, 2009
I got it in Logan, UT. It's sad that people want to spread panic like this.
at 06:51 on March 20th, 2009
Ok if it not true why was a woman shot and killed in forst city ar?!!!!!!
And yes i and my friends got the message I live in batesville ar. And lets not forget that they recived worning about 9/11 and didnt do anything about it and they are treating this the same way as a hoxs
at 06:52 on March 20th, 2009
me and my friend lindsay reciaved this text yesterday. we live in pensacola, florida.
at 06:52 on March 20th, 2009
the text message is going around like wildfire here in wisconsin!
at 06:54 on March 20th, 2009
this is ridiculous, It even happened at Charles Town Walmart in WV. My daughter works there and was in a panic. I think the idiots that start this crap should have charges pressed against them. I must say the police force here took no chances and were at the Walmart. My hat's off to them.
at 07:00 on March 20th, 2009
I also received it last evening. I am in Pacoima, California....
at 07:00 on March 20th, 2009
I live in California, Inland Empire to be specific.
So this was all a hoax? huh? We had the cops show up to our school @ around noon to warn us of this "text" message and they were taking it very seriously.
at 07:02 on March 20th, 2009
I am sure this started out as a stupid hoax but you should keep in mimd that unfortunately there are people in this world who are in gangs and might think this would be "funny" or whatever to actually go and do this since the rumor is circulating. So just to be on the safe side I would shop elsewhere this weekend. And if you work for Wal Mart, call in sick!!!!
at 07:04 on March 20th, 2009
Got this text the last few days, and I went to WalMart last night, and I felt very safe.
The security was very much beefed up, and local law enforcement was visible inside the store as well as outside the store.
Live in Las Vegas, but the WalMart I went to was in a rough part of town.
at 07:07 on March 20th, 2009
I'm a grandmother living in SE Tennessee, I too received the text on my phone about the gang initiation shooting at walmart also got another one about a shooting that had occurred in Chattanooga, TN walmart but found out that it was a hoax. . What does anyone seem to get out of starting this kind of rumor. I guess they get off on instilling fear in others and to see how many will not go to walmart. or how many will go to see if a shooting does occcur. I went to walmart last night about 10 pm . in all honesty there was some concern in the community because there was 2 police cars parked near both intrrances to the new walmart in our small town. this is terriorism on the local level. who ever started this should be prosecuted. can it be traced. this is not funny at all. in all reallity this is an easy way for someont to move on these rumors and put those threats into action .. because it will surely get them some attention. there are a bunch of crazies out t here so these rumors may be rumors but are putting fear and anxiety on people who have enough to deal with just by driving a car or taking out the trash. stop this you fools who ever you are. you need help
at 07:08 on March 20th, 2009
I recived the same message. im from stillwater,pa
at 07:14 on March 20th, 2009
I also got the exact text message too and i got a call telling me the same thjing i dont know what to beleive cause its going around everywhere I live in Baton Rouge, La qand i got to walmart everyday and when i say everyday i mean it and this was a definite scare for me but im going today cause this cant be true.
at 07:14 on March 20th, 2009
i got it in Staunton VA yesterday morning...then we got phone calls about a shooting that had "occured" at a walmart in NoVA. Did it actually happen?
at 07:19 on March 20th, 2009
i got that text last night from my cousin, who lives in north dakota, and i looked it up because i thought it was weird that it didn't say what city, or even state, the walmart/gang was.
i live in minnesota.
at 07:20 on March 20th, 2009
I got it last night in grand rapids MI... How scary good thing its not real!
at 07:20 on March 20th, 2009
Its all over Missouri too...its hillarious how many ppl believe it!!! And will flat out argue the validity of the text.
at 07:31 on March 20th, 2009
I live in Texas and received it. I fear that the attention it is getting that some kids might act on it. I really wish it would stop for we should not have to walk on eggshells and looking over our shoulders due to rumors or scare tatics. This is how other countries live in fear and we should not overlook the price we paid to earn the freedom our country has. But yet someone puts out a hoax that may lead to an idea and now we must live in fear due to the hoax's, jokes and senseless acts. *sigh* it is sadden to worry how my kids will see the world as they get older.
at 07:32 on March 20th, 2009
Got it in Gallatin, TN yesterday
at 07:38 on March 20th, 2009
I got this and so did my friends and we live in Puyallup, Washington and my cousin who lives in TN got it to so it is going around the whole country
at 07:39 on March 20th, 2009
Abbotsford, British Columbia, right away thought it must be a hoax.
at 07:40 on March 20th, 2009
I got the me message yesterday and it also said three women. I live in detroit mi and a friend of mine said she got the same message and so did all the women she works with. It scared me for a minute then i just blew it off. It is amazing how every one around the nation got the same message. I didnt forward it i just deleted it.
at 07:42 on March 20th, 2009
made it to dallas texas too
at 07:45 on March 20th, 2009
I live in Illinois and received the Wal-Mart text 4 times. Then around 10:30pm, I received one saying, "Woman in Chattanooga shot at Wal-Mart...forward to everyone immediately...<Carrie LPN>.
at 07:46 on March 20th, 2009
i got this text last night, march 18, and i live near cleveland, ohio. and you bet, i sent it to all my friends & family. i don't care if it IS a hoax... if it turns out to be real, or someone makes it real.. i want the women i know to be as safe as possible!!! just because police haven't verified it and didn't start the text does not mean it won't happen.
at 07:58 on March 20th, 2009
Several of us recieved this text last night at work, I told everyone that it was just a chain letter but several women freaked out and started calling everyone they know. We are in Seattle, WA
at 08:00 on March 20th, 2009
yea i live in wharton,TX and got the txt 2 days ago and nonthing has
happend yet. hopfully nonthing happens but still be very carefull nobody knws!!
at 08:04 on March 20th, 2009
I received a text message of this kind and I live in Indiana
at 08:05 on March 20th, 2009
got it here too at nine pm last night...same message, three women...live in the metro atlanta, ga area