A Bristol woman has been charged for a false report of an armed teenager on the busy North Wildwood boardwalk last week. The report forced public safety officials to evacuate the area and call in its SWAT team while investigating the alleged incident.
Taylor Erickson, 29, now faces several charges from the alleged June 22 incident. Police allege she had a verbal altercation with juveniles which led her to falsely reporting someone within the group brandishing a firearm at Morey’s Pier on Boardwalk Avenue. She is charged with one count of causing false public alarm and one count of false reports to law enforcement officers, the North Wildwood Police Department (NWPD) said.
Police said Erickson told NWPD that a juvenile male entered Morey’s Pier with a gun, prompting police to bring in the Cape May SWAT team and order the public to immediately evacuate the area of 25th and the beach.
She gave police a detailed description of the alleged suspect and gun, which was then broadcast by public safety. Law enforcement cleared the boardwalk and surrounding areas. Police located the juveniles and found the suspects did not have a firearm of any kind, according to a news release. A thorough follow-up investigation was conducted by NWPD including interviews of witnesses and a review of surveillance footage.
Police were unable to corroborate details initially provided by Erickson and additionally found no evidence of anyone brandishing a firearm.
A follow-up interview was conducted with Erickson who admitted to creating a false report to law enforcement due to a verbal altercation with the juveniles.
Erickson was placed on a summons complaint and was released pending a court date, according to police.
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