Explosive Event at Walmart leads to Arson Charge
By Shane Gilreath
[email protected]
Carl Martin Robbins
At approximately 9:45 on Monday morning, an incident occurred at the Oneida Walmart. According to what SCN could attain from the Oneida Police Department, a suspect, identified as Carl Martin Robbins, 52, was quickly taken into custody. Robbins was charged with Terrorism, Aggravated Arson, and Reckless Endangerment, after allegedly attempting to detonate a handmade explosive – a Molotov Cocktail-style incendiary device fashioned from a plastic bottle, which was tossed at the self-service propane kiosk outside the store’s Lawn & Garden department. Oneida Chief of Police, Darryl Laxton, told SCN that OPD Investigator Andy Davis was lead on the case, but the department was being assisted by TBI’s Bill Miller and Tennessee Homeland Security’s Gary Jeffers. Responders acted quickly to contain the situation, and Robbins was apprehended soon after. As of press time, no motive had been released.
SCN reached out to Walmart, who could not comment on the incident. An attempt to contact Walmart’s Media Relations team did not warrant an immediate response.
No injuries were reported. The investigation is on-going.
