False rumors of active shooter at Arnot Mall in Big Flats
BIG FLATS, N.Y. (WENY)--WENY News is aware of reports that the Arnot Mall was evacuated.
We have confirmed with the Chemung County Sheriff that rumors of an active shooter are false and there is no danger to the public.
Authorities tell us there was a report of a juvenile with an airsoft gun around 4:15 pm this afternoon.
Additional law enforcement agencies were called to the mall due to the panic this caused bystanders at the mall.
The Sheriff confirmed there are no reported injuries and no one was hurt.
The first call was for a report of a suspicious condition at the arcade, for a white male and black female with a suspected toy or airsoft rifle. Then About 10 minutes later, the second scanner call came in to respond to panic at the mall, requesting additional police presence to help calm people down.
Police Scanner Reports:
"We're going store to store now, alarms are going off, and people are running everywhere in the arcade, upstairs. It's going to be for a suspicious condition. We received calls from other stores about a white male with a white hoodie as well as a black female just entered the arcade. We believe that they have some sort of airsoft toy rifle with them. No verified reports of a gun displayed but the mall is in a bit of a tizzy here causing quite a ruckus. The mall is on lockdown, but a police presence would probably calm everybody down. Everyone thinks there's an active shooter here. We have nothing here."
Multiple police agencies were on the scene investigating this situation further.