Man jailed in gas can threat on Pa. Target store
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PITTSBURGH (AP) — A city man has been jailed on charges he yelled a bomb threat at a Target store in Pittsburgh on Christmas Eve, while carrying a gasoline container in his hand.
Online court records don’t list an attorney for 65-year-old Gary Parker, who faces a preliminary hearing Jan. 7 on charges including risking a catastrophe and terroristic threats.
Police say Walker entered the store about 12:40 p.m. Tuesday carrying the container and yelling, “You better call the police! This is a bomb threat!” An officer who got Walker to leave the store says she smelled a “pungent, heavy odor” of a flammable substance coming from the gasoline can.
A criminal complaint says charges were filed given the incident’s timing and because of Target’s recent problems with hackers recently accessing 40 million credit card numbers used at its stores.