‘All clear’ given after man with backpack triggers bomb threat at Walmart in Sacramento County

A Walmart Supercenter in north Sacramento County was briefly evacuated Monday morning due to a bomb threat, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The store at 7901 Watt Avenue and Elverta Road in Antelope has since been given an “all clear” by deputies, and the backpack used in the threat was rendered safe.

According to Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a man walked into the Walmart and told workers he had a bomb in his backpack. Leaving the backpack behind, the man left the store and caught a bus to get away.

Gandhi said deputies located the bus, stopped it and detained the man for questioning.

Just before 9 a.m., a Sheriff’s Office explosive ordnance disposal team rendered the backpack safe, but no other details about the incident were immediately available.

It was not clear how many people were in the store at the time of the evacuation. The shopping center anchored by the Walmart includes several small businesses, a Jack in the Box, O’Reilly Auto Parts and veterinary hospital.

Traffic in the area was expected to be congested for about an hour after deputies had shut down Watt Avenue at U Street for safety during their response.

This story was originally published June 3, 2024 at 8:44 AM.