NEW ULM – A bomb threat occurred at the New Ulm Walmart store on Thursday evening, according to information from the New Ulm Police Department.
Police evacuated the building and then searched it. No bomb was found.
The incident was reported to law enforcement authorities at 6:25 p.m. The report indicated that an employee at Walmart was being forced from the store by a female suspect.
The suspect, who was identified as Elisheba Swett, 37, of Worthington, stated she had planted a bomb in the store, according to a NUPD press release.
Swett was taken into custody and is currently in the Brown County Jail. Pending charges include kidnapping, robbery, assault and terroristic threats.
Eyewitnesses reported that Swett seized an unidentified Walmart employee and began dragging her out of the store. Several Walmart employees and customers confronted Swett near her truck in the parking lot. She released the unidentified employee when police arrived.
Juan Montemayor, of Sleepy Eye, observed the incident in the parking lot. He said that the unidentified woman cried for help and claimed that she didn’t know Swett.
“You could see she was absolutely terrified,” said Montemayor.
Witness stated that Swett released the woman when a second patrol car arrived. Swett is reported to have resisted police for few minutes before surrendering.
Customers were allowed back into the store by approximately 8:30 p.m.
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