MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

Local News

Related Photos

  • Muskogee police officers stand guard inside an entrance at Arrowhead Mall after a woman called police and reported a man threatening to shoot someone at the mall. The man, who was in the parking lot when the woman thought she heard him make the threat, was unarmed and told police he was fighting with his girlfriend on the phone. He was released.

    __malll2.tif

Discussion

October 6, 2012

Threat report made in error

Police swarm Arrowhead Mall after argument on phone overheard

By Wendy Burton Phoenix Staff Writer

— Reports of a man threatening to shoot someone at Arrowhead Mall on Friday turned out to be a false alarm, police said.

A witness said she heard a man screaming in the mall parking lot about 3:20 p.m., said Cpl. Pedro Zardeneta, a police spokesman.

“She said she thought he screamed he was going to shoot everyone,” Zardeneta said.

However, the man was located a few minutes later at 12th and Court streets. He was detained, interviewed and released.

“He admitted he’d been screaming on the phone fighting with his girlfriend,” Zardeneta said. “But he denied saying anything about shooting anyone, so he was released. He had no weapons on him.”

Police quickly responded to the emergency call, with the first police unit arriving in less than two minutes, according to 911 call logs.

Eighteen more police units arrived and covered every mall entrance in less than five minutes.

Armed officers stood guard at every door while a group of officers swept through the mall.

Most shoppers stood quietly aside watching the armed officers walk through the mall.

There was no panic, and people left quietly or resumed shopping once the police said there was no danger.

Officers initially made contact with a man inside the mall who fit the description given, but he was not the suspect, Zardeneta said.

The suspect was brought back to the mall for the witness to positively identify, he said.

Reach Wendy Burton at (918) 684-2926 or wburton@muskogeephoenix.com.

Text Only
Local News
AP Video
Raw: Tearful Reunion After Okla. Tornado OKC Hospital Describes Treating Tornado Wounded Obama Pledges Urgent Aid for Tornado Victims Raw: Aerials Show Path of Oklahoma Destruction Raw: Widespread Destruction in Moore, Okla. Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul Voters Could Elect LA's First Female Mayor Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado
Poll

Are the IRS, Benghazi and AP phone warrant scandals vital issues, or a distraction from more important business the nation should deal with?

Vital
Distraction
     View Results
Featured Ads
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
Stocks