Prank Call Leads to Standoff; Police Looking for Answers - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |
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Meghan McRoberts
OMAHA (KPTM) – It started as a threat to shoot a family member. Police responded in SWAT gear and treated it as a bomb scare. But it turns out; the scare was only a prank.
This was recorded from a Douglas County 911 dispatch:
"I have made a bomb," the caller said.
"What do you intend to do with that?" the 911 operator said.
"I'm going to kill everyone," the caller said.
Police are now looking for the person who made this prank phone call. The problem is that may be easier said then done.
The caller gave a specific address near 28th and Spencer Street, which police soon found out didn't match any homes in the area.
Richard Brown lives in the area and he was shocked when he saw police showing up near his home.
"You never know nowadays, there's so many things happening, people just want some attention," he said, "police have important things to do and really don't need to be following false leads."
The caller actually contacted dispatch through his computer by instant messaging; the message is relayed through a phone service, which reads the messages to dispatchers. It's actually designed to help people that are hard of hearting, but abused by these pranksters. The caller doesn't have to register a name or a number, making it harder to track down just who is on the other side of the call.
This makes it more difficult to track, but it is not impossible. Police officials tell Fox 42 News they plan to do whatever they can to find out who is responsible.
Police say prank phone calls are only a misdemeanor offense.
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