Angry Neighbors Make False 911 Calls After Taser Gun IncidentPOSTED: 6:38 am EDT July 26, 2005
UPDATED: 6:55 am EDT July 26, 2005
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Neighbors upset with Orange County sheriff's deputies use of a Taser gun to control a fight in a Pine Hills neighborhood apparently attempted to flood 911 operators with false emergency calls, according to Local 6 News.
Deputies responded to calls of a neighborhood fight on Babson Road in Pine Hills at about 11:30 p.m. Monday.
About 30 people gathered to watch the fight between neighbors, Local 6 News reported.
When officer arrived, they were forced to shoot one person with a Taser gun.
"It appears many people were upset with the (deputies) response and threatened to call 911 with false reports," Local 6 News reporter Samantha Knapp said. "Police received several calls shortly after."
"We got multiple calls of shots fired from a multitude of residents," Orange County sheriff's Lt. Joe McKenna said. "What we did was staged in the area and called back each complainant to verify there were no injuries otherwise we would have made an immediate response."
All of the 911 calls turned out to be false alarms, Local 6 News reported.
Under new guidelines enacted two weeks ago, subjects must show signs of aggression, appear dangerous and then get physical before being shot with a Taser gun.
"At this point, deputies believe last night's case and use of the Taser gun was warranted," Knapp said.
More than 460 people have been shot with Taser guns since last year, Local 6 News reported.