Huron Hub file photo

By Scott Bolthouse
The Huron Hub – Nov. 12, 2020
ScottBolthouse@HuronHub.com

Saturday was a busy day for the Huron Township Department of Public Safety.

The department responded to several calls on Nov. 7 and some residents inquired about the increased first responder activity in Huron Township, said Everette Robbins, director of public safety.

“I received several calls from concerned residents wondering why they heard sirens throughout the day and into the evening. None of these incidents were related. We had several major incidents that happened along with our regular call for service volume. Fortunately, we were able to pull together and get each of these incidents resolved professionally and safely,” he said.

Just after 1:30 p.m., a 911 call came in from a male that identified himself as a 13-year-old-boy.

The male advised dispatch staff that his mother was being stabbed by her father in the 31300 block of Autumn Day Street.

The caller said the father was coming towards him, that he was in danger, and ended the call.

A second call was also received from a person stating they were a neighbor and could hear screaming coming from the residence where the stabbing was occurring.

Huron Township police officers, along with assistance from the Flat Rock Police Department, responded to the address and attempted to make contact with the occupants of the residence.

After not being able to make contact and with fear that multiple people were being stabbed inside the residence, officers made entry into the residence.

It was determined that the incident was unfounded and likely a “swatting” incident. The neighboring residence was also checked and uninvolved.

Swatting is the act of creating a hoax 911 call typically involving hostages, gunfire, or other acts of extreme violence, with the goal of diverting emergency public safety resources to an unsuspecting person’s residence.

Making false reports to emergency services is a criminal offense, punishable by fines and imprisonment. It also appears that the suspects were able to hack into the residence’s Ring camera system and watch the police response and communicate with the homeowners.

The incident is currently being investigated.

“Unfortunately, many lives were placed into danger during this incident, from first responders as they travelled to the scene to the unsuspecting homeowners. It is unclear why these particular addresses and residents were targeted, and we appreciate their cooperation and support,” Robbins said.

Related article: Man attempts to stab police officer before dying from self-inflicted stab wounds; had history of similar incident

Other occurrences that happened on the same afternoon:

2:46 p.m. – The Huron Township Public Safety Department Emergency Dispatch Center received a call from an officer with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. He reported an altercation in the area of Waltz Road and Oakville Waltz between two drivers. It was further reported that one driver had a sledgehammer and was using it in a threatening manner. Huron Township police responded to the location and one person was detained.

2:52 p.m. – Dispatch received a call from a witness that observed what appeared to be a fight between a man and a woman inside a vehicle in the 22900 block of Waltz Road. The vehicle was reported to begin travelling southbound on Waltz Road. Huron Township police units responded and located the vehicle. A traffic stop was initiated, and two people were detained. No arrests were made based on the victim’s statement.

5:34 p.m. – The Huron Township Police and Fire Departments responded to the area of Gentz and Savage for a single vehicle motorcycle accident. The motorcycle struck the guard rail. The driver was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. The Downriver Crash Team responded to the scene and assisted with the investigation. There is no current update as to the driver’s condition.

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