Update 10 a.m. Friday, June 5
There were no reports of looting in Stafford County last night, says Stafford County Sheriff’s Maj. Shawn Kimmitz.
Update 5:30 p.m.
We’re trying to independently confirm if other Walmart stores in our region are also closing early tonight.
No one is picking up phones at Walmart Supercenter locations in Dumfries, Manassas, and Woodbridge.
We’ve called on a Walmart spokesperson to provide us with new information on any potential closure in our area.
Original post 4:47 p.m.
Walmart Supercenter stores across Stafford County are closing at 5 p.m. due to the threat of looting.
Law enforcement authorities say they’ve been monitoring social media throughout the day and are taking the threat seriously.
Currently, no looting is taking place at any of the three Walmart Supercenter locations in the county. A Walmart Neighborhood Market, at 14 North Stafford Complex, will remain open until 8:30 p.m.
The Stafford Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of possible protest activity involving Walmart locations in Stafford County. We have been monitoring the situation and will continue to keep public safety as a top priority.
— StaffordCoSheriff (@staffcosheriff) June 4, 2020
The announcement comes after Hartwood District Supervisor Gary Snellings posted a warning to his Facebook page.
Following Snellings’ announcement, the phones at the Stafford sheriff’s office lit up with concerned residents calling to authenticate the message.
There are three Walmart Supercenters in Stafford County — in North Stafford at 217 Garrisonville Road, in south Stafford at 11 Village Parkway, and at in Ferry Farm at 125 Washington Square.
The move comes after a Walmart Supercenter store on Liberia Avenue in Manassas was looted during a riot Sunday night.
We’ll bring you more information on this post as it becomes available.
