Richmond Police Department is investigating a string of false threats in the Richmond area that have prompted large law enforcement responses.
On June 24, a caller said he was holding hostages in a downtown Richmond building. When officers cleared buildings across several city blocks, they found nothing.
On July 19, a caller said an explosive device had been planted in the Richmond Walmart. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded, and again, there was no threat found.
And again on the afternoon of July 23, a large police presence responded after a threat was made against the Richmond Walmart. The store was closed, employees were evacuated to a nearby parking lot and officers surrounded the building with high-power rifles, according to eyewitness reports. Police say no one was harmed and there was no credible threat to the public.
Officials believe these false threats might be the work of the same person or persons, using Internet telephone services to try to hide where they are calling from.
“We remain actively engaged with our federal partners in this ongoing investigation,” RPD assistant chief Adam Blanton told WWN. “I can confirm that substantial progress has been made and investigative coordination is continuing across multiple jurisdictions. As always, our priority is ensuring community safety and bringing those responsible to justice.”
RPD officials did not post on their Facebook page about the July 23 incident as they have for other incidents. They say they have to be careful not to reward the person committing these acts with the attention they might be seeking.
“We are carefully balancing the public’s right to be informed with the need to avoid giving notoriety or a platform to individuals engaging in this kind of behavior,” Blanton told WWN.
Anyone with information about the threats can email tips to rpdcrimetip@richmondindiana.gov.
A version of this article appeared in the August 6 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.