An unknown caller reported a hostage situation and stabbing at Abenaqui CC in Rye, N.H., that turned out to be a hoax. At CC of Green Valley (Ariz.), vandals damaged a portion of the golf course and left a note threatening further action in response to loud lawnmowers in the morning.
Multiple law enforcement agencies descended on the Abenaqui Country Club in Rye, N.H., on April 22 to investigate a call reporting a hostage situation and stabbing, but authorities say the call turned out to be a hoax, the Manchester (N.H.) Union Leader reported.
Rye Police Chief Kevin Walsh said dispatchers received a call just before 3:30 p.m. stating that a man was at the country club where a meeting was being held and that he had stabbed someone, took two people hostage and had an explosive device. The caller also claimed people were tied up, the Union Leader reported.
“None of that proved to be true,” Walsh said.
As soon as the call was made, police rushed to the club, where dozens of people were attending a meeting. Police immediately cordoned off the area and evacuated the building. Walsh said police spoke with management to verify those who had been inside the building. They found no one unaccounted for, the Union Leader reported.
Police are now working with dispatchers to find out from where the call originated. Walsh said he couldn’t confirm whether the call was initially made to 911. While police were unable to confirm the claims and found nothing suspicious, a state police K-9 arrived just after 6 p.m. to assist in the search. Walsh said the dog also found nothing suspicious, the Union Leader reported.
The person who made the call will likely face serious felony charges if found, Walsh said. The incident not only strained local police departments and disrupted the county club meeting, but also put the neighborhood at risk, Walsh told the Union Leader.
“Officers responded above the posted speed limit because they had to get there quickly based on the call,” Walsh said.
At the time of the call, Walsh said school was out and kids were on their bikes riding to and from practices and other places. “For the neighborhood to be placed in danger like that was completely out of line,” Walsh said.
Walsh said Rye and other local police departments have worked with State Police, dispatchers and Seacoast-area police chiefs to develop an emergency response system for handling significant events like the call made Tuesday. Through the system, certain police departments automatically respond to the scene while others jump in to help cover calls in the town where the emergency is taking place, the Union Leader reported.
The system was used for Tuesday’s incident and worked well, Walsh said, adding, “When you need it, a significant amount of help comes in an organized way.”
Walsh asked anyone with information about the person who made the call to contact the Rye Police Department. Tips leading to an arrest or indictment can result in a cash reward of up to $1,000, the Union Leader reported.
The golf course at the Country Club of Green Valley (Ariz.) has been vandalized twice this month by someone who left notes upset over the sounds of lawnmowers early in the morning, the Green Valley (Ariz.) News reported.
A course employee told the Pima County Sheriff’s Department last Wednesday that two holes had been found in the ground at the tee box on the second hole, apparently from the removal of yardage markers, the News reported.
The markers were found next to the pro shop with a note that read, “Wake us up again at 0600 hours with your machines and I will take a shovel to your green next time.” It was signed, “Hole #2 residents,” according to the report.
The employee said this was not the first incident of vandalism. On April 4, one of the course’s flags was found in shreds near the pro shop with a note saying the resident was unhappy about the lawnmowers operating at 6 a.m., according to the report. The employee said he thinks the same person was responsible for both incidents because no other complaints have come in. The most recent damage was estimated at $100, the News reported.
A sheriff’s deputy spoke with several homeowners near the second hole. One said that he did not hear the noise from the mowers because his room is at the back of his house. Another said he did hear the mowers but he expected that sort of noise when he bought a house along a golf course. A third resident said he hears the mowers, but they don’t disturb him as he gets up at 5 a.m., the News reported.
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