The Culver City Police Department released a statement on Monday, April 6 to report that, at approximately 10:49 a.m., officers had “responded to the Westfield Culver City shopping center after receiving a call on the non-emergency line reporting that a shooting had occurred. Officers responded immediately and conducted a comprehensive search of the property to ensure the safety of all patrons, employees, and visitors.”
Despite officers urgently arriving on the scene, no suspect or victim was located. “There were no additional calls or evidence to indicate that an incident had occurred,” they said. “There were no disruptions to normal operations at the shopping center. At this time, no credible threat to the public has been identified. Preliminary information indicates the call was likely a hoax, commonly referred to as ‘swatting.’”
“We understand reports like this can cause concern,” the CCPD continued. “Culver City Police remain committed to the safety of our community and will continue to respond swiftly and thoroughly to all reports of this nature. We appreciate the cooperation of mall patrons and staff during this response.”
According to the police, an investigation into the false report is underway. “Knowingly making a false emergency report is a criminal offense that diverts critical emergency resources from real emergencies and will be investigated accordingly,” they say.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Culver City Police Department at (310) 253-6202. Anonymous tips can be provided through Crime Stoppers by calling (800) 222-TIPS (8477), using the “P3 Tips” mobile app, or visiting lacrimestoppers.org.