Law Enforcement staged at Roughrider Drive blocking the entrance into Walmart's parking lot.
December 18, 2025 - (Photo Album) (Update - 2:05pm): Businesses, including Walmart, impacted by the threat are back open again as of around 1pm. During the lockdown, employees were staged at Farmer's State Bank until the all-clear was given.
(Update - 11:41am): The Center Police Department confirms they received a phone call at 7:12am on the non-emergency line. The caller advised a bomb threat at the Walmart in Center and that the store needed to be evacuated.
No demands were made and the evacuation procedure began immediately. Barksdale Air Force Base and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department were both called in to provide bomb sniffing dogs and their bomb squad, and DPS has also supplied drones.
As of 11:36am, bomb sniffing dogs were still in the building and have not alerted to anything by that time. Once those dogs have completed their sweep, another set of dogs will be sent in to clarify the area is clear.
FBI and Texas Rangers are actively working to trace the origin of the call. There have been no other calls since the initial call.
A large contingent of DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Department Deputies have been on scene assisting with the operation.
Driveway entrances into the location were blocked of by Center Police Department officers, Shelby County Sheriff's Department Deputies, Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers and Texas Parks and Wildlife personnel. Center Fire Department and Allegiance Mobile Health were on standby throughout.
December 18, 2025 - (Update): Air Force personnel have arrived, as of around 10:10am, with Belgian Melanois K-9 and they have entered the store with other local law-enforcement officials.
Walmart in Center is completely locked down as of just before 8am on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
Anyone within the store, including employees have been cleared out for unreported reason.
No official statements have been made at this time indicating what the circumstances are, but it appears that law-enforcement is working to keep the public safe as they work.
As of 9:28am, all entrances remain blocked until further notice.
Additional details will be updated when they are made available.
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