The Powell McDonald’s was briefly evacuated by police on Monday night, after a hoaxer falsely claimed to be armed and about to commit violence at the restaurant.

Powell police quickly determined there was no actual threat and closed out the call in less than 45 minutes, records show.

Police Chief Jim Rhea described the incident as a case of swatting, in which a person tries to trigger fear and a big enforcement response by making bogus threats or reports of violence. Rhea noted that agencies across the country and Wyoming field similar calls on a regular basis, but still have to initially treat each one as though it could be legitimate.

“They’re just happening constantly, because they’re trying to create fear and terror and mass panic,” Rhea said. “And our job is to try to navigate, to the best of our abilities, to discern what’s legitimate and what’s not, with limited information.”

Monday’s call came into the police department around 8:40 p.m. from a number that appeared to be from the 307 area code. The caller told a dispatcher that he had a gun and was going into McDonald’s, threatening violence and suicide, Rhea said.

However, the dispatcher quickly became suspicious, as she didn’t hear any background noises that would indicate the man was entering the restaurant, Rhea said.

“Our dispatcher did a fantastic job,” he said.

The department’s on-duty officers responded to the Evarts Street restaurant along with backup from the Park County Sheriff’s Office and Wyoming Highway Patrol. They established a perimeter and safely and calmly evacuated everyone from the building, Rhea said.

However, the officers soon determined there was no threat and normal business resumed, the chief said.

The call was placed from a Google Voice number and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connection. While a legitimate and useful technology, VoIP is often misused by scammers to obscure their true identity and location. That can include “caller ID spoofing,” in which they make it appear as though their call is coming from a local phone number or, in some cases, a law enforcement agency.

The Powell Police Department has passed along the relevant information from Monday’s swatting to federal agencies, Rhea said, as tracing the call and identifying a suspect “is beyond the scope of local law enforcement.”

In a Wednesday afternoon news release, Rhea said the “malicious actors” who make such hoaxes are “continually monitored” by federal and state agencies.

Powell has been the victim of previous hoaxes.

In 2018, the Super 8 was temporarily evacuated after a hoaxer falsely reported that someone had been shot at the motel. When officers arrived, the hoaxer called back and told police that he was just testing their response time. It wasted hours of responders’ time.

Then in 2023, a hoaxer or hoaxers falsely reported shootings at Powell and Cody schools as part of a rash of bogus calls across the West. In that case, however, authorities were prepared for the calls and debunked them within a matter of minutes; school operations were not disrupted.

Rhea noted that swatting can lead to dangerous situations. While swattings generally result in stress and wasted resources, there have been a couple instances around the country that ended with shootings and deaths.

If multiple officers unexpectedly arrive at your residence or business, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security advises that you stay calm, keep your hands visible and follow police instructions.

In Wednesday’s release, Rhea thanked community members for their patience and support as first responders and emergency personnel “navigate these challenging situations.”