MARION COUNTY, Ark. - A 20-year-old Arkansas man has been arrested after authorities say he threatened to carry out a mass shooting at a local Walmart if the country were locked down again because of the hantavirus.
Dig deeper:
According to Marion County Sheriff Gregg Alexander, Aaron Keith Bynum was taken into custody on charges of first-degree terroristic threatening, a Class D felony, and harassing communications, a Class A misdemeanor.
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The backstory:
The investigation began on May 9, 2026, when the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received an electronic tip from a player participating in an online multiplayer game. The reporting individual alleged that another player threatened violence during an online gaming session. The tip included the suspect’s username and an in-game recording of the alleged threats.
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Federal investigators traced the account after issuing a subpoena to the game’s parent company on May 11. Authorities identified Bynum as the owner of the account. Two days later, the FBI’s Fayetteville Field Office contacted the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and turned the case over to the department’s Criminal Investigation Division.
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Investigators with the sheriff’s office obtained a search warrant for Bynum’s residence on May 14, along with a probable cause affidavit for his arrest. Authorities executed the warrant the following day, seizing a computer and related electronic equipment while processing the scene.
Bynum was arrested without incident and transported to the Marion County Detention Center, where he was booked and processed.
What's next:
Officials said Bynum faces one count of first-degree terroristic threatening and one count of harassing communications. Bond was set at $2,500.
The Source: The information in this story comes from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, which released details about the investigation and arrest, as well as information provided by the FBI. This story was reported from Los Angeles.