GRAND RAPIDS — The Grand Rapids Police Department responded to a “prank call” Tuesday, Oct. 6, in which the caller claimed to have shot someone near Old Central School.
The department received the call at 11:31 a.m., according to a department Facebook post Tuesday. The caller, who spoke in a male voice with a heavy accent, identified themselves as “James” and claimed to have shot someone near Old Central School. The historic schoolhouse in the middle of town houses local businesses and offices.
When asked by dispatchers, the caller struggled to provide a specific location within the Old Central School grounds, the department stated.
After hearing police radio transmissions through the dispatch open line, the caller said, “I’m not going to lie to you, you know this is a prank call ... I’m not going to continue ... this is a waste of my time.”
Dispatch caller ID identified the call as “Phantom.”
The department stated no public safety threats connected to the call exist at this time.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Andy Morgan said in an interview Wednesday all units across law enforcement responded to the call when it was first made.
“Sheriff’s department, police department, DNR, state patrol, anybody that’s in the area — everybody responds to a super serious call such as that,” Morgan said.
He added that even though the call was a hoax, it still caused harm and put strain on law enforcement.
“It’s truly unfortunate that this stuff even takes place in this day and age.”
Morgan said the caller had not been identified as of Wednesday morning, and the department will continue to investigate the incident.
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