Sobbing mystery woman claims massive Powerball win before running from press: ‘Get a bodyguard!’

A woman claiming she had the winning ticket to California’s $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot showed up at a Los Angeles convenience store that was already being swarmed by the media.

The winning ticket to the third largest jackpot in the game’s 30-year history was sold at Las Palmitas Mini Market and the media was there to talk to the owners, who scored a $1 million retailer bonus. And that is when a woman wearing a black baseball hat emblazoned with the words “Psychedelic Water” arrived.

While rumors are already flying that she is not the winner, the woman broke down in hysterics seemingly overwhelmed by all the fuss.

“I just wanted to talk to the employees,” the sobbing woman told the reporters on hand, as one reporter asked if they could talk to her.

“Honey, I can’t I’m scared,” she cried out as she made her way to the exit, with cameras in pursuit. As she ran away, someone was heard calling out, “Get a bodyguard!”

Las Palmitas Mini Market, which is owned by shopkeeper Nabor Herrera, was confirmed as the vendor that sold the lucky ticket.

“When we see the cameras, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what’s going on outside?’” co-owner Angelica Menjivar said. “So that’s when we realized it was true.”

If the woman is not the winner, she sure put on a convincing performance acting like she was.

“She came in here and she screamed … She hugged people in the store and then she ran away,” KTLA 5 News reporter Eric Spillman said. “She claims that she has the winning Powerball jackpot ticket.”

It’s not clear why the woman would have gone to the store, though social media users noted that winners often do not know where to go to claim their money.

Here’s a quick sampling of reactions to the story as seen on Twitter:

Tom Tillison

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