Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010 | 4:25 p.m.
Walmart
Authorities in Las Vegas have arrested a convicted felon and sex offender suspected of pistol-whipping a guard and leaving a false explosive in a Las Vegas Valley Walmart.
Federal and local authorities say 44-year-old Eric Thomas Friedlander was arrested Wednesday and booked into jail in Henderson, three days after the incident that caused the store at 7200 Arroyo Crossing Parkway, near Interstate 215 and Rainbow Boulevard, to be evacuated for about two hours.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed Thursday that agents had served a search warrant at an apartment in west Las Vegas and found a gun and clothing connecting Friedlander with the incident.
Authorities say Friedlander hit the guard after unsuccessfully trying to cash a check at the store, then dropped a bag with the false grenade and fled. The guard wasn't hurt.
The incident happened a week after a disgruntled Walmart employee in Reno shot and wounded three managers before surrendering.
Authorities say Friedlander is currently on supervised release for a conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Friedlander is a registered sex offender in Nevada after being convicted in 1994 of having sex with a minor under age 16.
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