PHOTO | Gee Gee Workman
AM Stone | WVOW News
LOGAN Phony reports of shooters at area shopping centers drew a huge response from law enforcement Tuesday.
Shoppers at the Fountain Place mall were surprised to say the least Tuesday afternoon. Police from nearly every conceivable police unit were on scene for a possible shooter. However, no shooter was to be found.
City of Logan Police Chief JB Frye said responding police included Logan deputies, state troopers, Chapmanville PD and even DNR.
Chief Frye said police surveyed the scene and quickly established there was not a legitimate threat to anyone.
Frye told WVOW News a call was placed alleging a man with an AR-15 was in the parking lot and waiting to fire on shoppers leaving Walmart.
City of Logan Police are handling the investigation. Chief Frye would not elaborate on specifics as the case is still under investigation. However, Fry did confirm the Walmart in Williamson also received a similar threat around the same time.
The practice is called swatting. An asinine attempt to elicit a large police response to a hoax emergency.
At least a dozen counties across the Mountain State were swatted bogus reports of school shootings back in December.
In West Virginia reporting a false emergency is subject to a $500 fine, six months in jail or both if convicted.