READING, Pa. – Photos and videos of a large police presence on Franklin Street in Reading spread quickly across social media Thursday morning.
Police say what many people didn’t know is what led up to it.
According to Reading Police Department, officers were called to the 800 block of Franklin Street for a reported domestic incident.
“This came out as a domestic violence call between a male and a female,” said RPD Deputy Chief Aaron Demko. “We did receive some information that there was potentially a firearm involved or that the suspect may have had access to a firearm.”
Out of caution, police called in the Berks County Emergency Response Team (BCERT,) which led to a large and highly visible police operation.
Some neighbors reported hearing loud bangs during the response. Police say those sounds were not gunfire.
“There was no gunshots fired,” Demko said. “What you heard was a breaching tool to make entry into the front door.”
Police say when officers entered the apartment, they found it empty. No injuries were reported and no one has been taken into custody.
“At this time, nobody is in custody for this and the investigation is ongoing,” Demko said.
The police activity caused temporary disruptions in the area. BARTA says earlier delays have since been cleared and bus service is now running on time.
Police say misinformation spread quickly online, including reports of shots fired and people being hurt, which they say is not true.
“The goal of this is to put it out to our residents that this is the facts,” Demko said. “There’s no known threat to public safety at this time.”