Call by man who claimed to be suicidal determined to be hoax

A call the Moscow Police Department received from the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline at 4:25 a.m. Friday stating a male caller claimed to be suicidal and armed at an unknown location in Moscow was a hoax, according to a city of Moscow news release.

The release stated the caller only identified himself by first name and research on the phone number indicated it was an internet-based calling number and not available for GPS location.

Moscow police hostage/crisis negotiators spoke with the individual for about 90 minutes, during which time the caller indicated he was at a residence on the 700 block of East E Street in Moscow.

Officers responded to the area and placed an ambulance on standby.

No reports of gunshots were reported in the city. The caller continued to speak while sounds of gunshots could be heard over the phone, but not at the area where officers had responded.

Through information gathered from hostage negotiators, the call was confirmed to be a hoax.

Officers made entry into the Moscow residence and were able to confirm the caller was not inside and was not associated with the residence.

The caller eventually stated he was in Canada, mocked officers and challenged them to try and charge him for the hoax call.

Officers and emergency medical services personnel cleared the scene at 6:52 a.m.

The Veterans Suicide Hotline, which works in association with the Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline, had received similar calls in the past from an individual identifying himself by the same name. The veterans hotline believed the calls it received were from the Boise area.