Beaumont Police Presence Was Due To False Shooting Report

BEAUMONT, CA — The large police response on Flamingo Street in Beaumont Thursday afternoon was the result of a shooting report that has been discovered to be a hoax, authorities said.

A caller attempted a "swatting" attack — a harassment tactic of sending police to another person's address — by calling police and reporting that he had just shot his family and had barricaded himself inside the home, on the 1400 block of Flamingo Street, according to the Beaumont Police Department.

Officers responded to the area, creating a visible police presence as they asked residents to steer clear of the area around 3 p.m.

Police eventually spoke with the residents and determined that the call had been a hoax. By 3:15 p.m., police said there was "no threat to the public" and that the "incident has resolved, however officers are still in the area."

Neighbors told Patch that they were not able to access their homes for some time while police were nearby; however, they have since been allowed to pass.