Crime & Safety

Shooting Hoax Under Investigation In Butler, Police Say

Butler Police say a caller falsely told police her two children had been shot Friday night, when in fact no shooting had occurred.

BUTLER, NJ — A shooting hoax is under investigation after a women falsely reported that her two children had been shot, Butler Lt. Mike Moeller told Patch.

Around 5:30 p.m. on Friday a woman called to report that her husband shot her two children and was coming back to her home to hurt her, Moeller said. The caller gave an address within Butler, and the entire Butler police force as well as officers from Kinnelon, Riverdale, and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office responded.

Police quickly determined that he phone call was a hoax, Moeller said, and that the caller had lied to police.

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"These types of calls place the public in direct peril as emergency resources become needlessly involved endangering the public at large," Moeller said.

The incident is currently under investigation by Butler Police, Morris County Prosecutors Office and the Morris County Sheriffs Office. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Schmiedhauser at the Butler Police Department at 973-838-4100.

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