April Fool's Joke Lands S.C. Woman Behind Bars

April 2, 2014
A report of a shooting at Virginia College in Spartanburg County sent deputies racing to the scene.

An Upstate woman's April Fool's joke landed her in jail on Tuesday.

A report of a shooting at Virginia College in Spartanburg County sent deputies racing to the scene. Within minutes, however, they found no shooting had taken place.

Instead, they found a 54-year-old employee of the college, Angela Timmons, had sent a text message to a family member telling them "she was hearing gunshots inside the college and that she was hiding for her own safety," according to the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office.

When the family member got no response to a follow-up text, the family member called 911 to report a possible shooting in progress at Virginia College.

When questioned by investigators, Timmons admitted it was an April Fool's prank, according to deputies.

She was charged with one count of disturbing schools.

Copyright 2014 - The State (Columbia, S.C.)

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Sponsored Recommendations

Build Your Real-Time Crime Center

March 19, 2024
A checklist for success

Whitepaper: A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

July 28, 2023
Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge

A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

June 6, 2023
Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge.

Listen to Real-Time Emergency 911 Calls in the Field

Feb. 8, 2023
Discover advanced technology that allows officers in the field to listen to emergency calls from their vehicles in real time and immediately identify the precise location of the...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Officer, create an account today!