GIBSONTON, Fla. — The man arrested for allegedly calling in a fake mass shooting threat on Sunday at a Walmart in Gibsonton has posted bond, but will now be evaluated at a local medical facility under the Baker Act.

There were about 1,000 shoppers inside the Gibsonton Walmart when an alleged phone threat was made by a man who said he was going to shoot up the store, according to authorities.

It was a tense situation for shoppers and store employees as people were trying to get out of the Walmart on 9205 Gibsonton Drive in Gibsonton, on Sunday afternoon.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office stated that 31-year-old Wayne Padgett of Valrico was arrested about six hours after making the threat to shoot up the Walmart at around 1:17 p.m.

 

Shoppers outside the Walmart in Gibsonton after it was evacuated. (Viewer photo)

 

 

Deputies responded within minutes and they found no one hurt or acting suspiciously, and no hidden weapons were discovered.

Even though this threat was a fake, it was high anxiety for shoppers who evacuated since most knew about the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton over the weekend.

The Sheriff's Office stated Padgett did try to hide his phone number when he allegedly made the threatening call and detectives say he did admit to the call but had no real explanation as to why he made it.

Padgett could face as much as 15 years in prison if convicted of calling in the fake threat this weekend.

He is facing a charge of filing a false report of using a firearm in a violent manner.

Deputies searched Padgett's home and found not a single gun or weapon.