More On Suspicious Package Found At Tullahoma Walmart

At approximately 3:00 pm, Saturday, Aug 9, officers of the Tullahoma Police Department were dispatched to the Wal-Mart store at 2111 North Jackson St in regards to a suspicious item. Upon arrival, Officer Daryn Gadeken met with Wal-Mart employees. They took him to the area where the device was located. The item was observed to be sitting on a concrete curb on the east side of the building parking lot near some construction containers.
Officer Gadeken determined the item was indeed suspicious and began measures to isolate the area and notify the Wal-Mart management. The store began an evacuation of customers and employees as a precautionary measure. Additional officers were dispatched to the area to assist with the perimeter and traffic control. The Tullahoma Fire Department arrived to assist with traffic control and other assistance as necessary. The Coffee County Emergency Management Director also arrived to provide support assistance if necessary.
A request for the Tennessee Highway Patrol bomb squad was initiated, and upon arrival of the THP bomb unit, the item was examined and determined to be of a highly suspicious nature and configuration. After examining the item the bomb squad determined a high pressure water blast would be used to strike the item.
The water blast caused the package to be destroyed. The remnants of the package were recovered by the bomb squad and TPD investigators. Based on the examination of the package and the remnants discovered, there was no explosive matter found; however, the device was constructed and had the proper components, minus the explosive, to function as an explosive device. At approximately 6:30pm the Wal-Mart store was re-opened. The Tullahoma Police Department will continue to investigate this incident and requests anyone having information to contact Detective Rana Pawlowski at (931) 455-0530.