UPDATE: Kidnapping Call That Prompted Howell Search May Have Been Swatting, Report Says

(The Mobile Command Unit of the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department is set up at the Home Depot in Howell as a search is conducted in a wooded area off Fort Plains Road for a missing person, reportedly connected to a 911 call reporting a kidnapping this morning in Manalapan. Photo used with permission of the Howell Happenings NJ Facebook page.)

UPDATE, 2:30 p.m.: Authorities now believe the phone call that prompted a massive law enforcement response in Howell this morning was a swatting incident, according to a report.

News12 New Jersey reported in its 2:30 p.m. newscast that authorities have told the station they believe this was a swatting incident.

Law enforcement authorities have not made an official statement on the situation yet.

PREVIOUSLY: Howell Township police have blocked off roads in the area of Fort Plains Road reportedly connected to a kidnapping call that may have originated in Manalapan.

News 12 New Jersey anchor Kurt Sieglin tweeted that roads are closed off and part of town is inaccessible. He also tweeted the incident may be related to the kidnapping call.

The Monmouth County Police, Fire & EMS Facebook page is reporting that Manalapan police were investigating a reported possible kidnapping that may have occurred earlier Wednesday morning on the Route 33 corridor.

Police have not confirmed the reports.

Witnesses have reported seeing a helicopter searching the neighborhood; posters commenting on the Howell Happenings NJ Facebook page have noted that State Troopers are stopping cars coming into the area asking to search them.

Commenters have reported that Fort Plains Road is blocked at West Farms Road and also at Sunnyside Road.

News 12 New Jersey is reporting authorities from several police departments are searching a wooded area off Fort Plains and Hulses Corner Road. The News 12 report also said the search appears to be connected to a 911 call made this morning by a woman who said she was being kidnapped at gunpoint. The News 12 report said authorities followed a ping from the cell phone used to make the 911 call to Howell.

This is a developing story. Come back to Patch for more information as it becomes available.