UPDATE on Law Enforcement Activity at Toccoa Walmart Yesterday
As reported by WNEG News yesterday, June 11, local law enforcement officials responded at approximately 5:15 p.m., to the Toccoa Walmart after being advised by the Hart County Sheriff’s Office that a female victim was being held against her will by a male suspect.
Toccoa Police officers responded to the scene and facilitated an evacuation of the building, guiding shoppers and store employees and management to the parking area while a thorough search of the property was conducted.
Toccoa Chief of Police Jimmy Mize told WNEG News that Toccoa officers found no sign of the suspect or the victim, and shoppers and staff were allowed to return to the building by approximately 6 p.m. Mize said that the investigation showed that the male and female im question had left the building shortly before the arrival of local law enforcement officials, and a Be On The Lookout, or BOLO alert, was issued for the gray Toyota in which they left the Walmart parking lot. The vehicle was later picked up on camera in Lavonia and Franklin County law enforcement officials conducted a stop on the vehicle. One of the passengers in the vehicle later lodged an allegation of police brutality against a Lavonia Police officer.
WNEG News spoke with Mize again this morning for an update on the incident, and he described the events of yesterday with the involved individuals, Candace Mitchell, 31, of Lavonia, and Joshua Pearson, 26, of Lavonia.
Mize stressed that, despite rumors that were circulating on social media at the time, there were no weapons or active shooter involved and there was no danger to the public. He also stated that, despite speculation by an Atlanta media outlet, there was no connection between the incident at the Toccoa Walmart and a missing child out of Hall County.
Mize detailed the information from the investigation so far, and said the investigation was still ongoing.
He explained that after leaving Stephens County, the vehicle the two individuals left Walmart in was stopped in Franklin County, and a third individual was apparently in the vehicle.
WNEG sister station WLHR in Lavonia also contacted Lavonia Police Chief Shane Edmisten and Hart County Sheriff Chief Investigator Captain Chris Carroll to get more details on the events as it related to law enforcement personnel from Hart and Franklin County.
You can read the WLHR report from WLHR News Directo on the incident here.
WNEG and WLHR will provide updates if new information becomes available.