HAMMOND, La. — Hammond police confirmed one person is in custody after allegedly driving a car into the Target store in the Hammond Square shopping center Friday afternoon.
That suspect has been identified as 41-year-old Walter Allbritton III of Ponchatoula.
Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron said the Allbritton drove a car into the store before exiting the vehicle and dropping a package of some kind inside.
Bergeron said suspicious packages were found at three nearby locations, and that bomb technicians were determining Friday afternoon if any were dangerous or explosive.
In a later update, police said at least one of the devices was not an explosive device.
"We know for sure at this point that the package at Sanderson Farms was not a bomb," Bergeron said. "It was built to look like one, but it was not."
At a news conference at 5 p.m., Bergeron gave an update on the suspect, saying that Allbritton would face a multitude of charges.
He faces at least three counts of terrorism, three counts of terrorizing, attempted armed robbery (stemming from an attempted carjacking while fleeing officers through the parking lot), several counts of resisting an officer, attempted aggravated arson, aggravated assault with a vehicle, aggravated criminal damage, manufacturing and possession of a delayed-action incendiary device and aggravated assault upon a police officer
The suspect, later identified as Allbritton, was arrested at the scene, holding a similar bag to the ones found around the mall. Bergeron said officers responded in under a minute to the Target and pursued Allbritton to the mall's parking lot, where he attempted to carjack somebody. After the carjacking attempt failed, officers took him into custody.
Bergeron said it was still unclear whether the bag he was holding had any explosives or other dangerous objects. No guns were found at the scene.
Nobody was seriously injured. One person had minor cuts from glass, but was treated at the scene and released.
"The guy was not shot, he did not shoot anyone," Bergeron said.
Authorities said they were unsure of the man's motive Friday, but said they believe he acted alone.
"Not sure why he did it at this point," Bergeron said. "He is being interviewed at this time."
The Hammond Police Department is still treating the mall as an "active scene" and the complex has been evacuated.
An employee from a nearby business told WWL-TV that they heard shouting from the parking lot but did not hear any gunfire.
Police and the Hammond Rural Fire Department are asking residents to avoid the area around the mall and Sanderson Farms facility until further notice.
This is a developing story. A WWL-TV news crew is at the scene. Check back for updates.
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