STANTON, DELAWARE (9/24/2015) A Newark man is being sought for falsely reporting shots were fired at Christiana Hospital, which led to a lockdown at the facility, Delaware State Police said today.
The incident began about 2:20 p.m. Wednesday when a man called the hospital’s operations center claiming someone was shooting a gun on the grounds. He hung up, but called a second time claiming there was a male with a gun at the hospital, police said.
The hospital was placed on lockdown and searched as state troopers and officers from New Castle County, Newport, Delaware City and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control responded.
No suspect was found, police said, and there were no injuries.
Police determined the calls had been placed from a phone in the Ammon Medical Education Center at the hospital. With assistance of hospital constables, troopers identified Jackie I. Cosden, 20, as the one who had placed the calls, police said.
Warrants were obtained for Cosden on charges of terroristic threatening, falsely reporting an incident and malicious interference with emergency communications.
Cosden was described as 6 feet tall and about 190 pounds.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 302-633-5000.
Tips also may be submitted anonymously through Delaware Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards, at 800-847-3333 or www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com.