Tupelo Community gives thoughts after man threatens to crash plane

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Patterson’s flight over north Mississippi was erratic and scary for folks on the ground.

The plane flew low and businesses were evacuated.

“Some customers left their groceries in their cart and just left,” said Ethridge.

As this twin-engine plane flew over Tupelo, it struck fear in those who were doing their usual Saturday shopping and those at work.

“We walked outside and watched the plane and they were ready to go home and to keep everybody safe I let them go home,” said Ethridge.

“I was kinda scared a little bit and they targeted Walmart near so like another grocery store, it’s kind of worrying,” said Santucci.

The Brooks Grocery employees also had to wait to hear why the plane and its pilot were in the skies.

“I had no idea what was going on when I first heard about it. it was very surprising very alarming and it flew over my house and I live pretty close to here,” said Santucci.

Mayor Todd Jordan says this situation can be alarming but he has faith in the people who serve Tupelo.

“Fortunately, we have a police Chief John Quaka that’s a former FBI agent that is used to dealing with unusual situations, and our fire chief kelly Elliott came from the Jackson airport so I think that we are as prepared, once we got on scene, that anybody could be,” said Mayor Todd Jordan.

And Tupelo Police Chief John Quaka says no one can ever prepare enough for this kind of situation.

“It’s shocking to be woken up in the middle of sleep telling me that there’s an airplane circling tupelo that may crash somewhere in our city limits so you never plan for that you can’t expect that 27 years of law enforcement I’ve never seen anything like that and every scenario is running through your mind in how to handle this. What if the plane goes here? What if it goes there? what do I do if this happens,” said Chief Quaka.

Police say Patterson will likely face federal charges