Firearms officers wearing balaclavas descended upon a neighbourhood in Southend-on-Sea this weekend after receiving reports of gunshots, according to police statements. A concerned local called around 3:30 PM after hearing gunshots and someone shouting 'I've been shot' from a flat, prompting Essex and Hertfordshire Air Ambulance to also respond in case of an injury. Officers discovered a gamer playing Call of Duty while using surround sound speakers inside the home, police confirmed.
In a statement, Essex Police said they had responded after concerns a person may have been injured with a firearm, though no firearms were present and no one was injured during the raid. A similar incident occurred in Deland, Florida, where officers surrounded a mobile home after a woman heard commotion and raised the alarm, according to reports. The concerned neighbour reported hearing a woman saying 'please don't kill me' and 'that is my gun, give it to me', which prompted the emergency call.
I have a loud voice.
Bodycam footage shows police knocking on the door, only to discover a couple were in fact playing a video game, authorities stated. The couple appeared confused by the police presence until the woman realised their intense game of Call of Duty had sparked the phone call, as described in witness accounts. These incidents highlight how realistic video game audio can be mistaken for actual violence, leading to significant police deployments.
Both police responses involved multiple armed units despite ultimately finding no threat to public safety, illustrating the resource impact of such false alarms. The Southend-on-Sea response included specialized firearms teams and air ambulance support, while the Florida incident involved multiple patrol units responding to what was initially treated as a potential domestic disturbance. Police in both cases emphasized that they take all reports of possible violence seriously, even when they turn out to be false alarms caused by gaming.
The incidents serve as reminders for gamers to be mindful of volume levels and for neighbours to remain vigilant while understanding that not all loud noises indicate real danger.