VALDOSTA, Ga. — A teenager who texted her friend that she’d been shot is now facing several charges.
On Saturday, around 12:12 p.m., several Valdosta officers and emergency responders swarmed a home on Northside Drive regarding a teen who had reportedly been shot.
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Valdosta officials said a citizen called 911 and told dispatch that her friend, later identified as 17-year-old Tanji Hallman, had texted her saying she had been shot but couldn’t call 911.
As officers were arriving at the home, police said the citizen then told dispatch that Hallman had sent her another text message stating that it was a “joke,” but no one could get in contact with her.
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As Valdosta police worked to find Hallman, they later located her at a home, which was not the address on Northside Drive.
According to the Valdosta Police Department, officers spoke to Hallman, who verified to them that the text was a joke.
She told authorities that she had seen the “prank” on a social media outlet.
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The following day, Hallman was arrested at her home and police say she faces charges of reckless conduct, false report of a crime, a misdemeanor, and unlawful conduct during a 911 call.
She was taken to 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. 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,” Chief Leslie Manahan said.
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