Police Alert Public, Then Give All Clear, in Rockville
Police sent out this message that appeared on cell phones in the region.
Rockville police sent out a vague mobile alert message about 4:25 p.m. Friday asking people to keep an eye out for a man in a long black coat. Then less than an hour later, police issued an all clear.
Here are more details:
- He was seen at the Regal Theater in downtown Rockville.
- A woman believed she saw the butt of a rifle and notified police.
- The man has been sighted in the area before.
This is the all-clear message issued at 5:22 p.m.
The details come from Marylou Berg, director of communication for the city.
Police said, in an email:
The subject is described as a white male in a black cape/coat with long brown slicked back hair and an all-black shirt with a logo on it. He was last seen in the area of the movie theater in the Rockville Core on East Montgomery Avenue around 4:00 p.m. If you see this individual, please do not approach and contact 911 immediately.
Police distributed this image of the man they’re looking for.
After the all clear, Berg said police officers will remain circulating around downtown Rockville and police will continue to take calls if anyone sees the man.
While I support our police departments efforts to keep us safe and of course I do not know the details, this Emergency Alert hardly seems warranted based on the description of what occurred.
Emergency Alerts that get blasted on all cell phones should be in fact for emergencies, like global nuclear threats, extreme weather changes, etc. The horribly-terrifying alert noise in my quiet home should only occur when it affects everyone.
The Police looking for a man believed to be carrying a gun because some other citizen thinks she saw something, smells a bit of profiling. Then the audacity to resend the same Emergency Alert that all is clear, is even more ridiculous. Once again, I jumped in fear of this horrid noise and only to read, everything is okay… what?? Was this to prevent mass hysteria and it’s safe to go outside again?
Sheesh, in certain states like Arizona and Florida, people walk in open public with weapons. Yet, no Emergency Alerts go off for this…Just because someone thinks they saw a guy with a gun does not equal a full-force all point bulletin to every resident to go on the hunt for him! I’m all for ‘see something, say something’, but does the police department really need to involve residents snuggled in their homes and offices for this?
It mentions that he was spotted before. How many times has he been spotted in the area? This is scary. Wish the pic of his face was clearer!