Investigators said the teen texted a friend on July 29 saying she had been shot but couldn’t call 911. — Photo by Marie-Michèle Bouchard on Unsplash
A South Georgia teen inspired by a social media prank was arrested after faking her own shooting, police say.
The 17-year-old girl faces multiple charges, including reckless conduct, false report of a crime and unlawful conduct during a 911 call, the Valdosta Police Department said in an Aug 1 news release.
Investigators said the teen texted a friend on July 29 saying she had been shot but couldn’t call 911. The friend called authorities for her, and officers arrived “in full emergency mode,” Police Chief Leslie Manahan said in a statement.
The friend called back soon after and said the 17-year-old sent another text claiming it was a joke, police said.
Officers continued looking for the teen to make sure she wasn’t hurt, according to the release. They found her at home and uninjured.
The teen confirmed the text was a joke and said she had seen the prank on social media, police said. The ruse led to multiple warrants for her arrest.
“Not only were our officers’ lives at risk, but also so many people who were traveling on our roadways as emergency vehicles were responding,” Manahan said in the statement.
“Due to the nature of this call for service, our officers had to spend time to ensure that no one had been injured, which pulled them from answering other emergency calls,” the police chief said.
The teen was booked into jail July 30 and released on a US$3,500 bond the next day, online records show.
Valdosta is about 70 miles northeast of Tallahassee, Florida. – The Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service
