The threat of a Delaware purge has Ohio cops investigating threatening messages being passed around on social media that seem to be mimicking the original flier created for the Louisville purge. But the original real life purge started as just a joke while the new threat seems a little bit more menacing.
In a related report by The Inquisitr , the so-called Louisville purge this past Friday night had some on social media claiming they heard real police reports of shootings, men in purge masks, and roving gangs . The potential for panic has some saying that police would declare martial law if a Chicago purge or a Detroit purge actually took place. Fortunately, the actual Louisville purge only resulted in a higher number of anonymous crime tips, although there were two murders committed that night and residents were glued to listening to the local police scanners.
When Kentucky police investigated the high school student who created the original Louisville purge photo it turns out he created it as a joke and did not mean to start any panic:
“It was originally supposed to be just a fun thing, I never thought it’d get as serious as it did. I was really shocked the first time I saw local media covering it. The police came to my house yesterday. I told them I was just joking around. I was sitting in my house and watching ‘The Purge,’ and I thought of the tweet and picture that started it. But didn’t think it’d get that big from there. I didn’t mean any harm by this at all. I love my city.”
Unfortunately, the threat of a Delaware purge is not coming off as a joke at all. Someone on Facebook is using the social media platform to spread this message:
“A purge will take place from 8:30pm until 6:30AM the following morning taking place in Delaware, OH on the date of 8/22/14 this purge is promised.”
Delaware resident Chloe Michelle says she received the direct message from an anonymous account on Facebook:
“All of a sudden I got this random message from somebody I didn’t know and they didn’t have a profile picture either. When I saw it, I didn’t know if it was a joke or not after hearing about other purges going on in different areas it just kind of threw me off a little bit. I just think we should take it seriously because you never know what will happen with people and how things are going in the world today so it’s kind of crazy.”
Ohio police is encouraging anyone who receives the threat of the Delaware purge to report it immediately to authorities. Even if it’s another hoax, police are concerned about the potential for a flash mob or some other act of violence being committed due to the rumors.
