A police search that briefly put local residents on edge Monday turned out to be a false alarm caused by a garbage truck.
Officers with the Hillsdale City Police Department and deputies from the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area near the Beacon Hill Apartments on Bacon Street near Highland Avenue after receiving reports of possible gunshots.
At 12:12 p.m., the sheriff’s office posted an emergency alert asking neighbors near the apartment complex to secure their homes, stay inside, and report any suspicious activity to 911 while officers searched for a potential suspect.
However, the investigation concluded without incident. Sheriff Scott Hodshire told WCSR News that the loud sound mistaken for gunshots was actually a trash truck setting down a dumpster. By 1:26 p.m., the sheriff’s office issued a second update lifting the shelter-in-place advisory.