LUFKIN, Texas – The Lufkin Police Department is investigating the viral video of a woman licking Blue Bell ice cream and putting it back in the display case.
The video hit social media June 28, launching an investigation that led from Walmart stores in San Antonio to Houston and eventually Lufkin.
Initially, social media commenters identified the woman seen licking a half-gallon of “Tin Roof” as being from San Antonio.
The search later went to Houston Walmart stores.
Then, Blue Bell corporate instructed all of its division managers to see if they could identify the store location. Within an hour of the corporate plea, a Lufkin division manager called, saying he believed it was a Lufkin location of Walmart.
On Wednesday afternoon, Blue Bell contacted Lufkin police, and Blue Bell retrieved what was believed to be the tainted container of ice cream.
Within hours, Lufkin detectives obtained surveillance video placing a woman matching the suspect description in the Lufkin store on June 28 around 11:00 p.m.
Detectives believe they have the woman identified and as of Thursday the investigation was still ongoing.
Police said a warrant could be issued for her arrest on a charge of second-degree felony tampering with a consumer product.
“Our biggest concern is consumer safety – in that regard we are glad to see the tainted product off the shelves,” said Lufkin Director of Public Safety Gerald Williamson. “We are recommending that as a precaution Blue Bell remove products from the Lufkin Walmart shelves until our investigation is complete.”
Anyone who can identify the man seen in surveillance video and Crime Stopper images is asked to contact the Lufkin PD at 936-633-0356 or Crime Stoppers at 639tips.com.
(easttexasmatters.com contributed to this report)
