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| Armed Man Who Caused Panic at Missouri Walmart Said It Was 2nd Amendment Test, Authorities Say | Armed Man Who Caused Panic at Missouri Walmart Said It Was 2nd Amendment Test, Authorities Say |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A heavily armed man who frightened shoppers and employees at a Walmart in Missouri told the police he was testing his Second Amendment rights when he recorded himself entering the store, according to a prosecutor, who charged him on Friday with making a terrorist threat. | A heavily armed man who frightened shoppers and employees at a Walmart in Missouri told the police he was testing his Second Amendment rights when he recorded himself entering the store, according to a prosecutor, who charged him on Friday with making a terrorist threat. |
| The man, Dmitriy N. Andreychenko, 20, of Springfield, Mo., was carrying a tactical rifle slung across his chest, a handgun and 100 rounds of ammunition on Thursday when he caused a panic at the store, the police said. | The man, Dmitriy N. Andreychenko, 20, of Springfield, Mo., was carrying a tactical rifle slung across his chest, a handgun and 100 rounds of ammunition on Thursday when he caused a panic at the store, the police said. |
| Pictures taken by a witness showed that Mr. Andreychenko was wearing a bulletproof vest. | Pictures taken by a witness showed that Mr. Andreychenko was wearing a bulletproof vest. |
| “This is Missouri, I understand if we were somewhere else like New York or California, people would freak out,” Mr. Andreychenko told a police officer, according to an arrest report. | “This is Missouri, I understand if we were somewhere else like New York or California, people would freak out,” Mr. Andreychenko told a police officer, according to an arrest report. |
| He was taken into custody without incident after another shopper held him at gunpoint, the police said. It was not immediately clear if Mr. Andreychenko, who was being held at the Greene County Jail with bail set at $10,000, had a lawyer. | He was taken into custody without incident after another shopper held him at gunpoint, the police said. It was not immediately clear if Mr. Andreychenko, who was being held at the Greene County Jail with bail set at $10,000, had a lawyer. |
| The episode happened less than a week after 31 people were killed in two mass shootings, the first last Saturday at a crowded Walmart in El Paso and the second early Sunday near a bar entrance in Dayton, Ohio. | The episode happened less than a week after 31 people were killed in two mass shootings, the first last Saturday at a crowded Walmart in El Paso and the second early Sunday near a bar entrance in Dayton, Ohio. |
| “Missouri protects the right of people to open carry a firearm, but that right does not allow an individual to act in a reckless and criminal manner endangering other citizens,” Dan Patterson, the Greene County prosecuting attorney, said in a statement on Friday. | “Missouri protects the right of people to open carry a firearm, but that right does not allow an individual to act in a reckless and criminal manner endangering other citizens,” Dan Patterson, the Greene County prosecuting attorney, said in a statement on Friday. |
| Mr. Andreychenko told the police that he had bought a rifle and body armor because of the recent shootings and the fatal stabbings of four people in Orange County, Calif., on Wednesday, according to the arrest report. | Mr. Andreychenko told the police that he had bought a rifle and body armor because of the recent shootings and the fatal stabbings of four people in Orange County, Calif., on Wednesday, according to the arrest report. |
| He shared his plans beforehand with his wife and sister, both of whom were questioned by the authorities and said they had warned Mr. Andreychenko that he would cause alarm, the police said. | He shared his plans beforehand with his wife and sister, both of whom were questioned by the authorities and said they had warned Mr. Andreychenko that he would cause alarm, the police said. |
| “He said he wanted to see if the Walmart manager would respect his Second Amendment rights,” the arrest report said. | “He said he wanted to see if the Walmart manager would respect his Second Amendment rights,” the arrest report said. |
| Angelice Andreychenko, his wife, told him “it was not a smart idea,” according to the arrest report. “She told him that people were going to take this seriously due to the recent events.” | Angelice Andreychenko, his wife, told him “it was not a smart idea,” according to the arrest report. “She told him that people were going to take this seriously due to the recent events.” |
| “He told her he called multiple Walmarts to see if it was,” the report added. | “He told her he called multiple Walmarts to see if it was,” the report added. |
| Mr. Andreychenko tried to enlist his sister Anastasia Andreychenko to film him entering the Walmart, the police said, adding, “He called it a social experiment on how his Second Amendment right would be respected in a public area.” She declined, and he used his phone to record a video, according to the report. | Mr. Andreychenko tried to enlist his sister Anastasia Andreychenko to film him entering the Walmart, the police said, adding, “He called it a social experiment on how his Second Amendment right would be respected in a public area.” She declined, and he used his phone to record a video, according to the report. |
| In explaining the charge of making a terrorist threat in the second degree that was brought against Mr. Andreychenko, Mr. Patterson, the county prosecutor, drew a parallel to First Amendment rights, saying that a person is not allowed to yell “fire” in a theater. | In explaining the charge of making a terrorist threat in the second degree that was brought against Mr. Andreychenko, Mr. Patterson, the county prosecutor, drew a parallel to First Amendment rights, saying that a person is not allowed to yell “fire” in a theater. |
| It is illegal to knowingly communicate an implied threat to cause an incident or condition involving danger to life or cause fear that a condition existed involving danger to life. | It is illegal to knowingly communicate an implied threat to cause an incident or condition involving danger to life or cause fear that a condition existed involving danger to life. |
| If convicted, Mr. Andreychenko could face up to four years in prison. | If convicted, Mr. Andreychenko could face up to four years in prison. |
| In a statement, Walmart addressed the allegations against Mr. Andreychenko and said he was no longer welcome in its stores. | |
| “This was a reckless act designed to scare people, disrupt our business and it put our associates and customers at risk,” the statement said. “We are working with the authorities however we can and we appreciate their quick response that prevented this situation from escalating further.” |