Police Presence At Long Island Mall After False Gun Shot Reports

Smithtown NY

27 December, 2021

5:59 PM

Description

LAKE GROVE, NY — A fight between teens that led to a trash can being knocked over — causing a loud noise — prompted several 911 calls of possible shots fired and a police presence at Smith Haven Mall on Monday, Suffolk police said. Officers responded to Smith Haven Mall at 4:34 p.m. after multiple 911 callers reported possible shots fired, a police spokesperson said, adding that after a search by officers from multiple precincts and Emergency Service Section, "it was determined no shots were fired." Instead, a group of about 10 teenagers were involved in a fight and "a trash can was knocked over, causing a loud noise that was mistaken for a gun shot," police said. The University Police Department had been made aware of a police incident at the Smith Haven Mall. @SCPDHq is on scene and investigating.please avoid the area.— SBU Office of Enterprise Risk Management (@SBU_ERM) December 27, 2021 The Smith Haven Mall will be closed for at least the next hour due to police activity. Please stay away. Reports of a shooting there are false. There was no shooting.— Smithtown Public Safety (@smithtowndps) December 27, 2021 UPDATE: THE MALL HAS BEEN REOPENED AS PER SUFFOLK POLICE AT THE SCENE.— Stringer News (@Stringernews) December 27, 2021 No injuries were reported. Police worked with with mall security and conducted a store-by-store search of the mall, then the mall was re-opened, according to police. The investigation is ongoing, police said. No further details were immediately released.