by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

05-05-25

The Uvalde Police Department cleared Walmart and the store’s parking lot early Saturday afternoon May 4th in response to a bomb threat.

At 1:02PM The Uvalde Police Department posted the following on its Facebook Page: “Uvalde & surrounding area residents, please be advised that the Uvalde Walmart is currently being evacuated for the public’s safety. We ask that you please allow law enforcement officials the space and time to make sure that the store does not contain anything that can harm the public at large. Your safety is our main concern.”

An update was then added to the original post:  

UPDATE (2:32 pm)

UVALDE WALMART HAS BEEN CLEARED AND IS NOW OPENED TO THE PUBLIC. We appreciate all local agencies that assisted in ensuring the public’s safety.”

  The Uvalde Hesperian reached out to Uvalde Police Chief Homer Delgado this morning and he said, “Staff sergeant E. Canales was the one scene incident commander with Assistant chief Davis and Chief Delgado assisting with planning and decision making utilizing the new LTE radio system. Hwy 90 was closed so that we could have Walmart employees evacuate to Texbest across the highway.”

  A few store employees and customers stood across the street near Applebees. One Walmart employee was supposed to go in for his/her shift but was blocked from entering the property. One individual told Hesperian he was sleeping in his car in the parking lot and reported he was told to leave the premises.

  “I had just left the women’s bathroom near the electronics but only saw one young girl. They made everyone leave the parking lot and Walmart employees ended up at AT&T facing Highway 90 and across from Applebees blocked off from turning into that area,” Stephanie Clary said.

She stated while she was at the checkout near the grocery section, she saw a Uvalde Police Officer and a Uvalde County Sheriff’s Officer standing close by

Clary went on to say when she saw two agencies together, and she thought, “That’s odd.” 

She observed people standing around the front of the store and an unidentified woman told the crowd to leave the store.

” It was all very surreal.” she said

Cheryl Renfro was also at the Walmart Saturday afternoon, and she said, “I was there- evacuated everyone had employees go across to Tex-Best. Cleared parking lot. Police at Wal Mart- some had guns drawn, ambulance and fire dept all across Hwy at Tex Best.”

The Uvalde Hesperian was on the scene and noticed all the entrances were blocked by Police officials. Between 2PM and 2:30 PM, the Uvalde Hesperian noticed officials closing Highway 90 and blocking access to Tex Best Convenience Store.

On Monday, May 5th at about 9AM, the Uvalde Police Department issued this statement on its Facebook page:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2025

Uvalde Police Respond to Threat at Walmart; Store Deemed Safe Following Evacuation and Search

  UVALDE, TEXAS – On the afternoon of Saturday, May 3, 2025, the Uvalde Police Department received a phone call from a number with a California area code. The male caller reported that he had placed an explosive device in the men’s restroom at the Walmart located in Uvalde. The caller further claimed to be armed with a firearm and threatened to begin shooting if the alleged explosive device did not detonate.

  In response, emergency personnel from across the area quickly mobilized and arrived on scene. As a precautionary measure, Walmart management and responding emergency crews conducted a full evacuation of the store to ensure the safety of employees and customers.

  Specialized teams, in coordination with Walmart management, conducted a thorough search of the premises for any suspicious items or indications of danger. After a complete inspection, no threats or hazardous materials were found. Based on these findings, the store was determined to be secure, and the “All-Clear” was issued.

  ‘”This type of threat disrupts the lives of our community members and strains emergency resources,” said Chief Homer E. Delgado. “We take every threat seriously and will continue to work diligently to identify and prosecute the individual responsible for this reckless and dangerous act.”

   The Uvalde Police Department has launched a full investigation and is working with regional and federal partners to track down the suspect. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Uvalde Police Department at (830) 278-9147 or through our anonymous tip line.

  We thank the public for their patience and cooperation during this incident, as well as the emergency response teams for their swift and professional actions.'”