By Anna Ballweber
MOORHEAD, Minn. (Valley News Live) – Moorhead police are defending their response to what turned out to be a false alarm that triggered an hours-long investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
Police Chief, Chris Helmick, said the department followed proper protocol when an officer reported hearing what sounded like gunshots during a routine follow-up investigation at an apartment complex on 20th Street.
“I think that he acted completely in protocol and we would do it exactly the same in the future,” Helmick said.
The incident began when a veteran officer was conducting a seemingly low-risk stop at the apartment complex. The officer, who has been on the force for years, was not expecting any violence, according to Helmick.
“It wasn’t anything that he was expecting any violence from or anything that would really lead up to someone trying to shoot at him,” the chief said.
When the officer approached an apartment door, he heard what sounded like gunshots. The officer called for backup, triggering a response from police, SWAT and the sheriff’s office.
“We’re talking about a veteran officer who is a firearms instructor, so he very well knows what a firearm sounds like,” Helmick added.
A shelter-in-place alert was issued to nearby residents. After speaking with officers, residents identified the likely source of the sound.
“They actually told the officers that there’s an HVAC system that when it goes off, it sounds like a gunshot,” Helmick said.
The investigation found no evidence of gunshots, only a malfunctioning HVAC system.
Chief Helmick said such incidents actually happen often, especially around the fourth of July, and should be treated seriously in any situation.
“It’s much better to be safer than sorry. If we just brushed it off and said nah, it’s not a gunshot, and it turns out someone had actually done something, or was doing something at that point, we wouldn’t be doing our job,” he said.
The chief said officers must be prepared for unexpected situations and that the response was proper protocol.
“That’s what we have to do as police officers. It might look over-the-top in hindsight but that’s what we have to do to keep the community safe,” Helmick said.
Looking ahead, he said the department could benefit from narrowing down more specific locations when issuing shelter-in-place alerts. Otherwise, a similar situation would be handled the same way.
The chief recommends anyone who might hear something suspicious to always call 911.
