When Powell Police Department officers responded Saturday to what was initially reported as an active shooter situation, they discovered it was a person firing a roman candle at a nefarious hawk.
And at some point, one of the responding officers accidentally discharged a weapon into the ground.
The “shots fired” call came in about six minutes after noon Saturday from a home in the area of 868 East North St. in Powell, says a Saturday statement by the Powell Police Department.
Initial reports also indicated the scene involved “active shooter,” Powell Police Chief Jim Rhea told Cowboy State Daily in a Monday interview.
Two Powell officers responded, plus another two who’d been on other calls in town. Besides those four, officers from other agencies in the area came to help, but no help was needed, said Rhea.
“It’s important to understand this was determined to not be an active shooter situation extremely quickly,” he said. “It’s getting blown out of proportion to say the least.”
They learned on scene that a resident had used a roman candle to “ward off a nefarious hawk,” the statement says. The hawk had been attacking the homeowner’s pets and home, the statement adds.
Rhea said he wasn’t sure what kind of animals were in peril. He also wasn't sure whether the resident hit the hawk.
“Once the scene was secure, it was discovered that an officer accidentally discharged their weapon into the ground,” says the statement, adding that no one was injured.
Rhea said the officer’s action is “being handled internally.”
The police department concluded its statement by cautioning homeowners not to engage predatory wildlife.
“Please reach out to the Powell Police Department if you observe or have concerns about predatory animals around your homes or businesses,” says the statement.
The homeowner at the address listed did not respond to a phone message at his listed phone number, nor a message on social media by publication time.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
