Bomb squads shut a Louisiana mall and investigate four suspicious packages after a man plowed his car into a Target store before dropping 'a device' on the ground
- Four packages were found - two in Hammond Square Mall, one at a Dollar General store and another in a parking lot for Sanderson Farms
- Authorities are working to find out if they are explosives
- The packages were discovered after a man crashed his car through the Hammond Square Mall Target store and dropped a package Friday lunchtime
- Shocking footage of the crash then showed shoppers fleeing the scene
- Police arrested the driver and took him into custody
- The mall was evacuated and the scene continues to be under investigation
Bomb squads have shuttered a Louisiana mall to investigate four suspicious packages after a man plowed his car into a Target store and dropped 'a device' on the ground.
Police discovered the four packages - two in Hammond Square Mall, one at a Dollar General store and another in a parking lot for poultry farming company Sanderson Farms - Friday afternoon and are working to find out if they are explosives, authorities said.
The packages were discovered after a man crashed his car through the Target store in the Hammond Square Mall and dropped one of the packages on the ground.
The terrifying incident was caught on camera, showing terrified shoppers fleeing the scene.
Bomb squads have shuttered a Louisiana mall to investigate four suspicious packages after a man plowed his car into a Target store and dropped 'a device' on the ground
Police arrested the driver and took him into custody.
The mall was evacuated and the scene continues to be under investigation.
Shocking footage emerged earlier of the scene inside the Target store when the man smashed his SUV through the store front at around lunchtime.
In the video, filmed by an eyewitness and obtained by WBRZ, the vehicle takes out some of the registers before coming to a halt.
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Someone inside the store can be heard shouting 'hey!' at the driver as he revs the engine.
The person filming then breaks into a run and shouts at shoppers to evacuate the building.
'Everybody get out of the store. Get out of the store! Now!' he is heard yelling.
Police discovered the four packages and are working to find out if they are explosives, authorities said. The packages were discovered after a man crashed his car through the Target store in the Hammond Square Mall (above) and dropped one of the packages on the ground
The terrifying incident was caught on camera, showing the vehicle take out some of the registers before coming to a halt and causing shoppers to flee the scene
The footage shows them trying to round up shoppers toward the exit, saying: 'I don't know what they're trying to do.'
Police later confirmed the driver, who was unarmed, ran through the store and dropped an unidentified package on the store floor.
Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron said it is not yet clear whether the package contains any explosives or weapons.
He said the item is similar to the other three found in the area and the man is thought to have acted alone.
Initial reports said there was an active shooter at the scene but police have said there is no evidence that any shots were fired.
'The guy was not shot, he did not shoot anyone,' Bergeron said.
Local residents are being told to stay away from the area while the investigation continues.
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