Reported By Stephanie Coueignoux

ORLANDO -- The Orlando Police Department is now warning its own employees about the Walmart gang initiation hoax.

Residents throughout Florida, including here in Central Florida, said they've been getting e-mails and text messages that state three women and possibly two males will be murdered possibly Thursday night in the parking lot of a Florida Walmart as part of a gang initiation.

On Thursday, police sent out a warning e-mail to its workers about this alleged plot.

The e-mail was accidentally sent to all city employees.

It addressed the Walmart gang initiation rumor, which is called "an unsubstantiated message."

The e-mail goes on to say, “Please take every safety precaution should you need to venture out tonight. Additionally, OPD is taking a pro-active approach and monitoring the Walmart and Target stores that are located within the city."

News 13 spoke with Sgt. Barbara Jones, the public information officer for OPD, and asked why the department would warn its own employees about this plot but not the public.

Jones said because the public already knows about the rumor, OPD didn't feel the need to warn them about it, and they do not feel this is a real threat.

Jones also said people should always be careful whenever they go out.

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