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Associated Press Oregon State Police Arson Explosive Detectives look over some of the debris of a bomb they exploded in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart store in Pendleton. Man carrying bomb arrested in Pendleton PENDLETON (AP) - Police tackled a Wal-Mart employee who threatened to ignite an explosive device in the store parking lot Friday, authorities said. Police charged Jerry T. Tapp, 58, of Pendleton with attempted aggravated murder, being a felon in possession of a restricted weapon, possession of a destructive device, menacing and reckless endangerment. At 1:45 p.m., police received an anonymous tip that a man was upset at a local bank and was going to blow it up, police chief Gary Ward said. When officers arrived at the scene, police instead saw Tapp walking toward a nearby Wal-Mart store. The bomb was stuffed down Tapp's pants with the fuse exposed, Ward said. Police ordered Tapp to show his hands, but he started to light the fuse instead, Ward said. ``We had to take him down at gunpoint,'' Sgt. Bill Caldera said. ``He took out a lighter like he was going to light the device, but I guess he thought better of it.'' Caldera and Detective Kelly Oberg wrestled him to the ground, seizing the bottle-shaped device. An Oregon State Police bomb squad used a remote-controlled robot to destroy the device in the parking lot. ``It was some form of pipe bomb,'' said Detective Elden Alexander, a member of the State Police's Arson and Explosives Unit. ``It had gunpowder and a fuse with a cardboard exterior. It was wrapped with duct tape.'' The store was closed for 20 minutes during the incident, as police ordered managers to keep customers inside. Tapp, a convicted felon with a record of theft and assault charges, had just been hired by Wal-Mart as a temporary employee, installing fixtures and counters to help the store with its expansion, said store manager Brian Bradley. Tapp had been hired at the end of January and would have been kept on until at least the end of March. Bradley said Tapp underwent a thorough background check. Tapp had been scheduled to start work Thursday night, but he didn't show up, and the store received a telephone call saying he wouldn't be in. Bradley added that employees hadn't heard Tapp make any threatening statements. ``We had no inclination,'' Bradley said. ``He had just started. Nobody even knew him yet.'' Visit our back issue library Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Western Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing