(Sidney, IA) – Officials with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday evening, said the Page County Sheriff’s Office received an emergency call Thursday reporting a possible active assault involving firearms. Based on initial call tracking, the origin of the call was associated with a address in Sidney, in Fremont County.
In response to the reported threat, law enforcement immediately deployed to the area and established a temporary, precautionary lockdown of a portion of Sidney to ensure public safety while officers secured and evaluated the scene.
Following a thorough on-scene assessment, law enforcement confirmed there was no active threat to the community. Further investigation revealed that the phone number linked to the initial call was previously associated with the address in Sidney; however, the current residents at that location no longer possess or operate that phone number and were not involved in the incident.
The initial report was determined to be a “swatting” call—a deliberate, fraudulent report intended to trigger a heavy emergency response.
The lockdown was promptly lifted once the area was cleared and verified secure.
The investigation into the origin of the fraudulent call remains ongoing and is being led by the Shenandoah Police Department. Swatting calls waste critical public safety resources and place first responders and community members at unnecessary risk. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact local law enforcement.
Authorities said in a new release, “We appreciate the cooperation and patience of the residents of Sidney during the brief lockdown as officers worked to ensure everyone’s safety.”
