DPS first called shooting threats a hoax, then deputies found an assault rifle in the suspect's car

Thursday afternoon, rumors were circulating that someone was coming to Midland from Lamesa to shoot up a Walmart.

The Department of Public Safety told CBS7 at the time it was a “hoax” and Midland Police wrote on Facebook they didn’t have any substantiated reports.

However, the Midland County Sheriff's Office said the man they arrested had an AR-styled rifle in his car when they caught him.

The sheriff's office said 28-year-old Issac Rodriquez of Lamesa has been charged for making terroristic threats.

Authorities said they got a tip from one of Rodriguez's co-workers Wednesday evening who heard Rodriguez say he planned to shoot up a Midland Walmart.

Then at 2 p.m. Thursday, deputies detained Rodriquez at his workplace in Midland with the help of DPS.

“We’ve got to take it at face value when someone says they’re going to shoot up something or shoot somebody then we have to take that at face value, and we go after them with full force until we get them thrown in jail,” Midland County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Rory McKinney said.

CBS7 asked DPS why they first called the situation a hoax and Midland Police why they wrote off the rumors as unsubstantiated when at the time the man was in Midland with a rifle at hand.

Both agencies said what they meant was there were no confirmed reports that someone was driving to Lamesa from Midland.