MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – A Houston man was arrested and has been accused of falsely reporting an active shooter at a Montgomery County business.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said 27-year-old Francisco Hernandez is charged with false report to induce emergency response. He was also arrested for an additional warrant out of Harris County for harassment and is currently being held at the Montgomery County Jail.
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The sheriff’s office said at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 25, Montgomery County Dispatch received 13 911 calls from the same cell phone number near the 100 block of Sawdust Road in the Spring area. Each time the caller dialed 911, they hung up as soon as the call was answered. The caller then sent an emergency text message to 911 saying there was an active shooter at a nearby business.
Deputies quickly arrived and found no emergency at the location, which indicated the caller, identified as Hernandez, made a false report.
An investigation revealed Hernandez had made 44 emergency phone calls to Montgomery County Dispatch within the last two months.
A warrant was obtained for Hernandez’s arrest Thursday and he was taken into custody.
“The abuse of 911 services is not only illegal, but it also needlessly increases the danger to both law enforcement personnel and the public due to emergency driving and diverting resources from genuine emergencies. It is essential to use 911 services responsibly and only in cases of actual emergencies to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved,” the sheriff’s office said.