Armed Texas Man in Bulletproof Vest Makes Terroristic Threat at Walmart

A Texas man was recently arrested for threatening to shoot up a Walmart filled with customers. Not only was he armed, but he also wore a bulletproof vest. Oh yeah, and this wasn't his first arrest for similar charges.

The Terrorist Threat in Gun Barrel City

Last weekend, officers in Gun Barrel City, TX responded to a call of an armed man at the nearby Walmart threatening that he will shoot up the establishment.

The armed male, 22-year-old John Thomas Martin, was then arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat: a 3rd degree felony in the State of Texas.

According to a Facebook post from the Gun Barrel City Police Department, they stated that responding officers removed a Glock 10mm semi-auto handgun and four magazines totaling 63 rounds of 10mm bullets. Martin was also seen wearing a ballistic vest under his clothes.

The Arrest of John Martin

Get this, John Martin didn't have the proper permit for the firearm that he was packing... oops. So, on top of the felony charge of making terroristic threats, he is also charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon.

According to Henderson County Jail records, Martin was booked on Sunday, Feb. 16 on a $25,000 bond for the unlawful carry, but for the terroristic threat? A whopping $1,000,000 bond.

It's unclear if this is a reason for the high price tag on his bond, but Martin was previously arrested in 2022 for the same charge: terroristic threat.

This first charge, in 2022, resulted in a bond set at $50,000, WFAA reported.

Gun Barrel City PD emphasized the importance of citizens following the "see something say something" protocol when out in public. They concluded that "these actions and the officers response truly prevented a very dangerous outcome."