Jennie-O gun reports turn out to be prank calls by 10-year-old child

WILLMAR -- False 911 calls about individuals with guns brought Willmar Police Department officers and Kandiyohi County Sheriff's deputies to the Jennie-O Turkey Store plant No. 4 on Willmar Avenue Southwest Monday night.

Upon investigation, officers determined the calls were made by a male juvenile under the age of 10 from two separate pay phones located at the plant. The boy said he made the false calls to 911 and had no reason for doing so, according to a police department news release.

The first of three calls was received shortly before 6 p.m. by the Kandiyohi County Dispatch Center. The caller said there was an individual with a gun at the plant.

The dispatch center received a second call, but the caller hung up.

Dispatch received a third call at which point the caller stated there were two people with guns at the plant.

Police Chief Jim Kulset said the caller was the child of an employee. He said some Jennie-O employees in the attached corporate offices were removed from the building. No charges were made at this time and the child was released to his parent, Kulset said.

Kulset said prank 911 calls are not uncommon. He said the incident was over in less than half an hour.