Police sprang into action after a frantic 911 call at 4:45 PM when a man claimed his own brother and another individual fired shots at him in an alley near the Scioto County Courthouse.
COPS RUSH TO THE SCENE—BUT FIND NOTHING
A Portsmouth Police officer was already in the area and immediately scanned the location—but saw no signs of gunfire, no suspects, and no evidence of a shooting. Additional officers arrived and searched the area thoroughly, but nothing suspicious was found.
WHERE DID THE CALLER GO?
When officers tried to follow up with the man who made the 911 call, he was suddenly nowhere to be found. Repeated attempts to call him back went unanswered.
FALSE ALARMS WASTE POLICE RESOURCES
Law enforcement takes every report seriously—especially one as dangerous as a shooting. Officers are obligated to respond quickly and investigate thoroughly—but when the person making the complaint vanishes without a trace, it ties up valuable police resources and makes it harder to address real emergencies.
The takeaway? If you call the police for help, stick around to assist with the investigation. False or unverified reports don’t just waste time—they can also put lives at risk by diverting officers away from real emergencies!
