Wrong number: Bomb threat mistakenly made to Ottawa, Ohio
A young American man who wanted to join Canadaâs anti-vaccine protests tried to call in a fake bomb threat to keep Ottawa police from reaching demonstrations on February 7.
But his plan had one fatal flaw: he rang the wrong Ottawa.Â
Instead, he reached Putnam County Sheriffâs Office in a village in Ohio by the same name â both times he dialled.
The second time, he falsely claimed he had been shot, according to Captain Brad Brubaker.
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It wasnât until then that he realized he was speaking to another American.
This has happened to the police in Putnam County several times before.
In a Facebook post on February 8, the Sheriffâs office said they received several calls from Canadians who had mistaken them for the city in Ontario.
“Our office wants to ensure your messages and concerns are heard by the correct agency,” the post says.
After realizing his mistake, the caller admitted he was lying about the bomb and being wounded.
The Sheriffâs Office said it’s likely he had haphazardly typed âOttawa Police Departmentâ into his search bar and clicked on the first result that came up.
Anywhere in Canada, you can pick up the phone and get access to information on health, community, social, and government services by dialing 211.
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The county prosecutor is considering charges against him.
The calls were made as hundreds of truckers participate in “Freedom Convoys” across the country, with high concentrations in Ottawa. Many are protesting vaccine and mask mandates.