Sidney, Neb. — The Sidney Police Department and multiple local agencies responded on Wednesday to a high-priority threat at the Walmart Supercenter in Sidney.
At approximately 2:17 PM, a caller contacted the store claiming that incendiary devices had been placed throughout the building and that an individual armed with an AR-15 was on his way to the store.
The building was evacuated, and a comprehensive security sweep was conducted.
Responding agencies included: Sidney Police Department; Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office; Nebraska State Patrol (including the State Bomb Unit); Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office; Sidney Fire Department; Sidney Regional Medical Center EMS; City of Sidney Electric & Streets Departments.
Following a thorough investigation of the property, no incendiary devices or active threats were located. The call has been determined to be a “swatting” incident—a dangerous hoax intended to trigger a large-scale emergency response.
Walmart has confirmed that this appears to be part of a nationwide series of similar hoax calls targeting multiple stores on Wednesday. The local investigation remains active as Sidney Police work with state and federal partners to trace the source of the call.
The Sidney Walmart remained closed for the remainder of Wednesday. It was scheduled to reopen today, April 30, at 6:00 AM for normal business hours.
To ensure the safety and comfort of our community, officers from the Sidney Police Department and deputies from the Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office will be maintaining an increased patrol presence at the store throughout the coming days.
