A false report of a shooting near the Old Mill District in Bend led to a huge police and SWAT response and evacuations Tuesday afternoon, Bend Police said.
Police, fire and SWAT moved in on the area of SW Taft Avenue and SW Silver Lake Avenue after 12:15 p.m.
Bend Police said a call came in to dispatchers, with the caller saying he had shot someone at a home and that he was still in the residence.
Police said the nature of the call prompted them to bring in armored vehicles and to ask medics to stage in the area. Several roads were also closed.
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The nature of the call prompted police to bring in armored vehicles and to ask medics to stage in the area. Several roads were also closed.
As negotiators spoke with the caller, police said officers evacuated homes in the immediate area.
Police said they got in touch with the homeowners where the incident was reported, but they were not home at the time. After obtaining permission from them to enter, police cleared the home and say they found no evidence of a crime. Officers cleared the scene at about 1:30 p.m.
Bend Police said a criminal investigation is underway in to the origin of the call.
“It is a crime to call 911 or contact dispatch and report a crime. So that, as well as disorderly conduct for bringing a police presence here, those are the crimes that we are currently investigating,” said Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller.”
