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Thursday, March 19, 2009

WalMart Text Message Scare Worked

Last night I decided to head up to the North end of Town and check out the WalMart parking lot to see if the notorious Gang Text Message where 3 women were allegedly going to be shot had any affect whatsoever. Clearly, it did.

I would even go so far as to guess that at least half the cars in the parking lot were actually employee vehicles because when I went inside to purchase some items, it was a ghost town inside the store.

After purchasing a couple of items, (why waste the trip) I had the choice of ANY register I wanted with absolutely no one in line.

Anyhow, the next time you get one of these text messages, go to Snopes FIRST. Check and see if there's any credibility and by all means, DO NOT start forwarding the message to everyone and their brother! Use your head and think. Do you really think a Gang would let the Police know they're going to be at two different WalMart's to shoot someone?????

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Confirming once again P.T Barnum's whole business plan. Come on people, use a little critical thinking! Guess what? I got a text that says that gangs are planning on attacking anyone who doesn't give me $5! Seriously! It's true! Only someone who does not care about their family will neglect to give me $5.

Anonymous said...

Joe, last night I was hanging out with a a buddy of mine and he started talking about WalMart shootings. I live in Elkton and he swore that the text messages were intended for the Elkton WalMart, can you advise?

Reconciled1 said...

I cant tell you how many people text me about it. Some just didn't want to believe it was fake. After all, this was sent to me by so ans so and they believe it.

Anonymous said...

What??? And had i known i would have sent my wife shopping! :-)

Anonymous said...

I heard people at work say they would avoid Walmart like the plague last night.

After 9/11 we live in a different world.

mommaneedswine said...

I wish I would have known, I would have done my shopping last night! Next time, I'll pay closer attention. Joe, make sure to post it here, too!

Anonymous said...

9:52,
What, did the terrorists set off a "stupid" bomb on 9/11? Give me a break, people! If you seriously think that gangs would send out text messages saying they are going to kill three women at Wal-Mart, then I beg you: do not reproduce. Please do not pass on those genes to another generation.

Anonymous said...

In this city I take NOTHING for granted. There is no rime or reason when it comes to gangs.

Anonymous said...

This is pretty sick people do stupid stuff and think its cool to scare the community.
Here is a link to the Hoax, this message went around for Halloween, I happened to of gotten it then also, I got two different ones yesterday, one stated 2 women would be killed and the second one stated 3 women would be killed, its sick. http://www.snopes.com/politics/sexuality/walmart.asp

Anonymous said...

Yes, Joe your right Walmarts parking lot was empty, I went by there around 8:30 PM, I thought the same thing, the cars in the parking lot must be employees, and the other 2 were Salisbury Police officers.

Reconcile2 said...

just gives whoever sent out text messages satisfaction that it worked next time we need to prove them wrong

Anonymous said...

We are not men, we are DEVO, DEVO, DEVO.

Anonymous said...

I am currently trying to move my child from public schools, to a Christian school do to the fact the my 12 year old son told me there were a bunch of pre teens at Wi Middle calling themselves Bloods, my son calls them Blood wannabe's. I don't want to scare anyone but it sounds like Gang members in training.

Anonymous said...

You know, it would be easy for a disturbed person to use this against all of us. Think about it. Now we won't believe the text messages. We are damned if we do, and damned if we don't.

What ever you do: ignore the warnings!

said...

you tell five friends, they tell five friends, they tell five friends...in 15 minutes the whole Eastern Shore has the text.

Anonymous said...

I took my son out of wi middle and transferred him to another school this year as well and I am satisfied with that decision...

Anonymous said...

NOONE said that 'the gangs' were making everyone aware via text message that they were holding an initiation at WalMart...I'm certain too that they would not have sent out a 'warning', BUT in this day & age you can never be too careful, and whose to say that someone OUTSIDE of a gang wasn't aware of this and was trying to warn people...No need to call someone's bluff when it's you or your family's life at stake!

Anonymous said...

I got this text message on my way home from 3 different people last night. Then when I got home I jumped on Salisbury News and of course Joe had it covered. Then after it had been confirmed as a hoax then I started getting others that it wasn't a hoax and the news media was wrong. I should listen to the warning, etc. Unless it is an absolute emergency I don't go shopping at night anyway. I've had security guards walk me to the car before because I didn't feel comfortable. Just be proactive, do everything you can and be aware.

joealbero said...

I think some of you are just stupid and gullible. If my Post didn't spell it out good enough for you and you want to walk around saying the sky is falling, go right ahead. I come from the Bronx. Believe me, Salisbury is nothing to be afraid of. Swallow that one for a while.

joealbero said...

I'm going to add this comment as well. To those of you who have not seen your comments go up on this Post, there's a good reason.

YOU will NOT put something up here without evidence. YOU are acting just as badly as the person who sent out the original text message and you're trying to scare people from simply shopping.

Salisbury News will NOT be used as your little toy to scare anyone any further. If you don't like it, too bad! We don't want your type here anyway spreading nothing but rumors.

Anonymous said...

Joe, didn't get the whole picture because the parking lot was bangin' at Sam's club at 7pm-LOL!!!
I really did go to Sam's though and it wasn't very busy there either btwn 6P and 7P, Wed is just not a shopping night I guess. I usually have a hard time getting thru the registers without a backup but when I went to pay, there were 2 registers AT SAMS CLUB...yes at SAMS, that only had the person checking out so I picked the closest one and just had to unload my stuff while the people paid their bill-it was awesome-ANYmouse

Anonymous said...

urban legend. If someone is doing this, they are just spreading a myth. nothing substantial about it.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/2009/03/18/police-walmart-gang-initation-rumors-are-false.htm

BillyBurke said...

Joe:

I thought you knew this was a joke or urban legend.

Anonymous said...

One could think of the situation that this might have been true, but when word got out, It won't happen. Being a single mother, some things I won't take advantage of. Better safe than sorry. Yes, something like that could happen anywhere at any time, but there is only so much that law enforcement can do, and with a wide selection of Walmarts around town, the possibilities are endless. I for one forwarded the message. Not as a threat or to scare people, but to let the ones I know and care about what could happen. Know your surroundings. Go with someone. Park close to the door or in a well lighted area. Regardless of the 'scare text' or not, we should always be careful and mindful of what is going on. Just because we are driving down an empty road, come to a 4 way stop sign and you can clearly see that no one is coming, you still stop and look, then go. It doesn't mean that you stop and don't continue driving, or just blow right though the stop sign. Use common sense.

Anonymous said...

Come on guys, this same exact text message went around last year.

Anonymous said...

TARGET was packed...from Salisbury to Easton to Dover...Huge sales $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Anonymous said...

Joe,
We DONT come from the Bronx and you'll, of course, pardon us if the Anitra Pirkle stories play out in our minds as we read these "phony" text messages. We choose to live where we live so as to be safe-not to risk life and limb for a trip to the store. If it's all the same to you, fact or fiction, I'm not going to tempt fate with myself or my family. But by all means, feel free to shop if you'd like.

Anonymous said...

Maybe someone has a grudge against Walmart and wanted them to lose business. If so, I guess it worked. Either that or they wanted the store all to themselves while they shopped.

Anonymous said...

I really can not believe the uproar this caused and to think that so many people believed it and was scared. Didn't bother me any and something like this could happen any day of the week without being advertised by text message first.

Anonymous said...

I went last night as well to the North store and it was nice and quiet. In and out in no time at all. At work today I couldn't believe that many people still believed the hoax. It was probably the safest night to go to Walmart.

Anonymous said...

This whole thing was a bunch of bullcrap. If the state hadn't criminalized the right to carry a concealed handgun this wouldn't be an issue. Think about it. A large crowd of law abiding citizens with firearms. Criminals wouldn't like those odds. They'd find something else to do. And we could shop and go about our normal lives.

Anonymous said...

Is this Union Thugs getting back at Walmart the most anti-union workplace in the world.

I'll never forget that video of Hillary Clinton instructing WalMart workers how to keep the union out of there, when she worked in their Corporate Office.

Of course now she would be the first to sign the Employee no choice act.

Anonymous said...

My wife got a text tonight......warning that SSU fraternities were do their initiations tomorrow tonight. Be aware that at the north and south walmart stores there would be at least 3 male streakers.........you might get an eyeful of pork and beans........

Anonymous said...

my cousin in Va Beach got the texts today that their Walmarts were targeted. I told her not to believe that crap.
You are right, Joe. People are stupid and gullible.