Police: Under Armour Threat Actually A Prank Call
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City Police say a prank caller is responsible for shutting down Under Armour for hours as the SWAT team searched the building.
Rochelle Ritchie explains the 911 call came in just around 2 p.m. Sunday, leaving people unable to go home.
It's a joke no one is laughing about.
Residents in South Baltimore are back in their homes after the city's SWAT team gives an "all clear" for the Under Armour building after a threat to employees came in to 911.
"We took that threat seriously, we came out. Our SWAT teams cleared the facility, we cleared the employees inside," said Sgt. Eric Kowalczyk, Baltimore City Police.
For five hours, streets just south of the headquarters were shut down, leaving many people standing outside, cold and frustrated.
"An officer came around and said 'We have to evacuate the area, we have a situation going on," said Steven Adkins.
After hours of searching and investigating, fear and anxiety turned to anger and annoyance as police discovered the threat was a prank call.
"You had me come from Dundalk all the way down here to South Baltimore to make sure my mother's OK? How many other people have done it and just haven't got here yet?" a woman said.
For Dorothy, who was without her medication for several hours, she couldn't be more disgusted in the caller.
"I think they ought to be ashamed of themselves, pulling something on people like that, making other people suffer for nothing," she said.
Police say a dozen people were evacuated from the building, and the jokester will face justice.
"False calls put a lot of people in danger and take resources from the city," Kowalczyk said.
Under Armour employees say, though the call was a prank, they are glad it was taken seriously.
"I think it's great, you know. If a threat is called upon, they know what they're supposed to do," a man said.
Under Armour will be open as normal Monday morning.
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