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Just one day after a man reported to be near a school with a firearm died, Menlo Park police responded Wednesday to what reportedly turned out to be a false gunfire report in West Menlo Park.
Menlo Park police responded to West Menlo Park near Valparaiso Avenue and Hallmark Circle Wednesday afternoon after a report of a possible armed person and gunfire, only to determine the noise likely came from fireworks.
Police received a call around 3:43 p.m. reporting someone possibly carrying a gun in the area, which is near Sharon Hills Park, along with what the caller believed may have been shots fired, according to a police department press release.
Officers did not find anyone matching the description. During their initial investigation, the caller clarified they had seen a suspicious person about three hours earlier who may have been carrying a firearm, but that they were unsure.
Several residents in the area also reported hearing fireworks, the police department said.
As a precaution, Menlo Park police requested backup from other law enforcement agencies, including an outside drone team. Officers searched the neighborhood and ultimately found no threat to the public, the department said.
Investigators found no evidence confirming gunfire. The police declared the area clear later that afternoon.
The incident came one day after police responded to reports of a man with a gun in West Menlo Park, which prompted lockdowns at Phillips Brooks Elementary School and La Entrada Middle School, as well as a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents. The man, who was from the Central Valley had previously been reported missing and later died from a self-inflicted gunshot.
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