Kotzebue Police Department and Alaska State Troopers responded on Monday morning to a false report of a gun threat on Otter Street, according to a statement from the city.
An anonymous caller contacted police at 9:28 a.m., saying that armed people surrounded his residence to kill him, the city officials said.
Three Kotzebue police officers and two troopers were dispatched at 9:36 a.m. and secured the area at 9:46 a.m., Kotzebue Police Department Chief Roger Rouse said. The caller originally provided the wrong address, the officers cleared two locations: one on the 600 Block of Caribou Street and another and Otter Street, Rouse said.
Upon arrival, officers concluded that no one was threatening the caller, the city said.
The issue was resolved at 10:11 a.m. and all units left the scene at 10:30 a.m., Rouse said.
“Vehicle traffic and pedestrians were advised to avoid the area by officers securing the perimeter and searching the area,” Rouse said. “No lockdown was needed since there were no visible or immediate threats.”
The city officials invited residents experiencing mental health issues to reach out to Maniilaq Behavioral Health Services at (907) 442 7640, Alaska Behavioral Health at 988 or the Alaska Care Line at (877) 266 4357.