Dozens of snakes dumped in Arkansas Walmart parking lot

Shoppers at a Walmart in Arkansas got an unwanted surprised over the weekend when they found dozens of snakes in the parking lot, according to police. 

The Paragould Police department was called to the Walmart in Paragould, Ark., Sunday after concerned shoppers noticed a pile of snakes, KAIT-TV reported. 

“At first, they were saying the snakes were copperheads and water moccasins,” Paragould Police Department Detective Jack Hailey told KAIT-TV. “But, after we got one of our officers who is apparently some sort of snake whisperer, we learned that they were non-venomous garden snakes.”

Hailey said someone collected the snakes and decided to dump them, but police aren't sure why, the station reported. 

"Poisonous or not, it is dangerous when you put snakes in a busy area,” said Hailey. “It could cause a panic with people trying to get away.

While no charges have been filed, Hailey said if someone is caught there could be a case for charges, KAIT-TV reported. 

“At the minimum, you could look at disorderly conduct of causing alarm to a public place, but if you look at the bigger picture, is someone was trying to get away from them and got hurt in any sort of way, those charges could easily increase,”  Hailey told KAIT-TV.

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