VALDOSTA – A Lowndes County teen has been arrested by VPD on making a false report about being shot for a social media prank.
Release:
Arrested: Tanija Hallman, African American female, 17 years of age, Lowndes County resident
On July 29, 2023, at approximately 12:12 pm., numerous Valdosta Police Officers and Emergency Medical Services responded to a residence in the 1700 block of Northside Drive in reference to a female who had been shot. A citizen called E911 to report that her friend, later identified as Tanija Hallman, 17 years of age, had sent her a text message that she had been shot and she could not call 911. As officers arrived in the area the citizen told the E911 Operator that Hallman had sent her another text stating that it was a joke, but no one could make contact with her.
Officers then spent time trying to locate Hallman to confirm that she had not been shot. Officers later found her at a residence, which was not the address on Northside Drive. Officers spoke to Hallman, who confirmed to them that the text was a joke. She told officers that she had seen this “prank” on a social media outlet.
On July 30, 2023, officers presented the facts of what Hallman had done to a Lowndes County Magistrate Judge.
Arrest warrants were signed on Hallman for:
- Reckless conduct-misdemeanor;
- False report of a crime-misdemeanor; and
- Unlawful conduct during a 911 call-misdemeanor.
After obtaining the arrest warrants, officers met with Hallman at her residence and arrested her. She was transported to 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 to ensure 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.” Said Chief Leslie Manahan
