Kent Police arrested a 28-year-old Auburn man after he falsely reported that his girlfriend had been shot, prompting a large emergency response that officers later learned was fabricated.
The incident occurred last week behind a business on Kent’s East Hill, according to information released by the Kent Police Department.
Police said the man called 911, claimed his girlfriend had been shot and gave a location before hanging up. Because real shootings pose significant danger to victims, officers and the public, the report triggered an urgent response. Multiple officers and supervisors were dispatched, along with fire and medic units that arrived with lights and sirens.
Officers located the caller in a parking lot but could not find a victim. Unsure whether the caller might be the shooter or whether an armed suspect was still nearby, police searched the area aggressively in an effort to locate the alleged injured woman. Several minutes into the response, police said the caller announced that his girlfriend was “invisible.” There was no victim, no evidence of a shooting and no medical or other reason for the man’s claim.
Police said the man’s demeanor did not indicate hallucinations or a crisis. Officers arrested him for filing a false report. Kent Police emphasized that false emergency calls are dangerous because they divert first responders from real crises and create unnecessary risk for the community.
“So, if you’re sitting around one day pondering what a police response to an emergency looks like, decide against better judgement to make a fake call to 911, and you’re not a small child, expect to be charged,” police said. “We would like to encourage you to view one of the many police T.V. shows instead. They are fairly accurate and a much cheaper experience.”
