Salem Police Chief Kyle Ambuehl says reports of a man with a gun in the area of the west side industrial park and four later shots fired complaints were all found to be unsubstantiated.
Ambuehl says around five Wednesday afternoon the department began to receive information on Social Media messages being circulated in reference to a man with a gun in the area of the Industrial Park. Facilities in the area followed their lockdown procedures and officers responded to the area. A thorough search of the area was conducted without a man with a gun or any threat being found. Once the search was concluded and found the Social Media information to be unsubstantiated, the area facilities were advised of the findings.
Ambuehl says when Officers were preparing to clear the Industrial Park area, the Salem Police Department began to receive reports of four separate “Shots Fired” calls from different areas of town. Each report was investigated and found to be unsubstantiated.
During this time, Ambuehl says the Salem Police Department was on their Official Facebook page attempting to provide relevant and factual information to the public.
It’s not clear if the social media posts about the alleged activity in Salem is related to an incident earlier in the afternoon in Patoka where Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies received a report of a man reportedly walking on Oak Street carrying a handgun. Sheriff’s officials say the silver item seen in his hand was a lighter. Patoka School went on a soft lockdown while that incident was under investigation.
