ELLSWORTH, Wis. (WFRV) – Numerous false police reports from a 911 cell transfer call at an out-of-state dispatch prompted multiple schools in Wisconsin to go on a lockdown.
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According to the Ellsworth Police Department, officers were dispatched by the Pierce County Dispatch Center just after 8:30 a.m. Friday, after a 911 cell transfer call from an out-of-state dispatch center, mentioning a school shooter with students needing help.
At the same time, police received word of multiple other 911 calls, 12 of them in total, some reporting the following incidents:
- A school bus in an accident
- A caller reporting a rape
- A dog being struck by a school bus
None of the 911 calls had a callback number, as the call appeared to be an emergency-only phone with no active cell carrier.
Authorities at Ellsworth Elementary School placed the building on a non-emergency lockdown as police and school staff walked through the building to ensure no active threats. The high school and middle school nearby were placed on lockdown as well due to their proximity.
Throughout each search and lockdown, no active threats were found, and the out-of-state dispatch center also initiated lockdowns/searches just in case, with no active threats located.d
