Walmart Evacuated In St. Charles Amid Report Of Masked Man

ST. CHARLES, IL — A report of a masked man at a Walmart in St. Charles led authorities to evacuate the store Friday morning, police said. Authorities located the man and determined he was wearing a medical device due to recent treatment and that there was no criminal activity occurring at the store.

Management at Walmart decided to evacuate the store as a precautionary measure at around 8:09 a.m. after the man with the mask was spotted entering, according to a news release from the St. Charles Police Department. Authorities from St. Charles, Geneva and West Chicago police departments responded to the incident.

The police call came amidst continued unease after a mass-shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, Aug. 3 left 22 dead. And on Thursday, a heavily armed man with a rifle and body armor caused panic at a Missouri Walmart, prompting a manager to pull a fire alarm to help customers escape. In that incident, no shots were fired, but a 20-year-old man was arrested after an off-duty firefighter held him at gunpoint as he tried to escape. He was taken into custody for making a terrorist threat.

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The St. Charles Walmart incident was the latest example of the unease felt by many after a spate of mass shootings. On Tuesday, a motorcycle backfiring caused panic in Times Square after it was mistaken for gunfire, prompting a stampede.