Tom GantertTampa Bay, FL – A Florida woman made a homemade bomb using supplies she got in a Walmart and was in the process of lighting the wick inside the store when security stopped her.
Emily Stallard, 37, was arrested on Jan. 13 while trying to build a bomb.
Stallard had a child with her, according to WTVT. It was not reported how old the child was or the relationship to Stallard.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office stated that a security guard was watching Stallard as she appeared to walk aimlessly through the store for more than an hour, according to WFLA.
Stallard was opening items such as nails, a Mason jar and denatured alcohol, according to WFLA. The security guard thought that behavior was suspicious.
The security guard then alerted the off-duty wildlife officer who was in the store at the time. The two men then stopped Stallard just before she lit a wick and they detained her until the police arrived, WFLA reported.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies said that Stallard spit on them while they were putting her in the patrol car.
Stallard was charged with attempted arson of a structure, fire bombing, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, child abuse and battery of a law enforcement officer, according to WFLA.
“This woman had all the supplies she needed to cause mass destruction at her disposal. Had it not been for an alert off-duty law enforcement officer and a watchful security staff at Walmart, she may have followed through with her plans to cause an explosion inside the store,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister, according to WFLA. “I am proud of the quick response by the officer and security personnel who stepped in and the thorough job performed by my deputies to investigate this matter and make an arrest.”