Active Shooter Deemed Hoax At South Bay Mall

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — A reported active shooter at Manhattan Village Friday was deemed a hoax, Manhattan Beach police and city officials told Patch Saturday.

A social media message Friday said that there was potentially an active shooter in the area, Capt. Christian Eichenlaub of the Manhattan Beach Police Department told Patch.

Someone from Joey’s Restaurant contacted the police department and officers showed up and realized there was no active shooter in the area and it was deemed a hoax, police said.

Police had their guns drawn at Manhattan Village, near the Olive Garden, and a heavy police presence arrived in the area, a resident told Patch.

A helicopter circled the area for several hours near North Sepulveda Boulevard and Marine Avenue about 2:45 p.m. Friday.

Residents and shoppers were confused for several hours, as no alert or immediate information was provided by the city.

SEE MORE:

• Missing 64-Year-Old Man Last Seen In Torrance, Police Say
• 5 LA Men Cause $5K In Damage In Santa Monica, Police Say