Waxahachie man arrested after running into Target yelling that there was an active shooter
WAXAHACHIE – A man has been arrested after allegedly running into a Target and yelling that there was an active shooter.
It happened on Dec. 10 at 1:20 p.m. at the Target located at 1316 N. Highway 77 in Waxahachie.
Just minutes after the man shouted "active shooter!" the store was evacuated and police were on the scene.
After Waxahachie police officers evacuated the store, they determined that no shots were fired. The man who instigated the incident, 36-year-old Emmanuel Medina, was found hiding in the bathroom.
Police say that surveillance footage from Target showed Medina enter the store in a "jestful demeanor." He was joking with his son as he entered the store, yelling that there was an active shooter. Medina then locked himself in the bathroom.
Medina has been charged with false alarm or report.
Waxahachie police chief Joe Wiser said the police department is glad no one was hurt.
"When we think about incidents like the mass shooting that occurred at the Allen Premium Outlets where eight innocent people were killed, we are reminded just how serious events like this can be," Wiser said. "We do not think this is something to take lightly."