The governor claims that a man stole a plane and threatened to fly into a Mississippi Walmart before safely landing.

Patterson has worked for Tupelo Aviation for ten years, according to investigators. According to Quaka, he had some aviation training but didn't know how to land.

Quaka said it was unclear why Patterson took off just after 5 a.m. in a fully fueled twin-engine Beechcraft King Air C90A. Fifteen minutes later, Patterson contacted a Lee County 911 operator to say he wanted to crash the plane into a Tupelo Walmart. Officers removed customers from a neighboring Walmart and convenience shop.

According to Quaka, the airport's tower is not staffed until 6 a.m., making this a "crime of opportunity."

Residents around Tupelo, Mississippi, were cautioned to "be on the lookout" by Reeves.

Officials almost convinced Patterson to land the plane safely in Tupelo, despite his claim that he didn't know how, Quaka claimed at a press conference on Saturday afternoon. Officials even enlisted the help of a private pilot.

Patterson, however, abandoned that idea and instead flew north, finally lowering the aircraft to ground level, according to Quaka. The jet touched down at Ripley, Mississippi, some 85 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, and 45 miles northwest of Tupelo, Mississippi.

The plane was damaged, but "believe it or not, the plane is still intact," Quaka added.

Patterson appears to have sent a parting note on his Facebook page at 9:30 a.m., according to Quaka. According to the post, he "never genuinely meant to injure anyone."

Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan said Patterson called family members at one point during the trip. Patterson, according to the mayor, will "receive the treatment he needs."

Leslie Criss, a Tupelo-based magazine editor, awoke early to monitor the situation on TV and social media. A group of her pals were standing outside, watching the jet circle overhead.