A Georgia teen is facing time behind bars after lying to her friend about being shot.
According to police, Tanji Hallman, 17, had officers rush to her home after they were informed that a teenager had been shot.
Officials say someone called 911 and told a dispatcher that Hallman had been shot. The person later said that Hallman had texted her informing her that she couldn’t call 911.
Shortly after officers and first responders swarmed the teenager’s home, police say the same person who called 911 said that her friend sent her another message saying it was a “joke.” When police attempted to call Hallman, she could not be reached.
Police worked to find Hallman and found that she was at a different home than the one originally provided to police.
The Valdosta Police Department later confirmed that the text Hallman sent to her friend was a “prank” she’d seen on social media.
Hallman now faces jail time and is charged with reckless conduct, false report of a crime, a misdemeanor, and unlawful conduct during a 911 call.
She has since been remanded into custody at the Lowndes County Jail.
“Our officers responded in full emergency mode to this so-called prank. Not only were our officers’ lives at risk but also so many people who were traveling on our roadways as emergency vehicles were responding,” Chief Leslie Manahan said. “Due to the nature of this call for service, our officers had to spend time ensuring that no one had been injured, which pulled them from answering other emergency calls. We will continue to prosecute anyone who falsifies a crime for social media attention.”
According to Criminal Defense Lawyer, “you can be charged even if you didn’t initiate the contact with the police. This crime typically applies regardless of whether your intent was to implicate another, deflect or hinder an investigation of yourself or another or gain some other benefit.”
