Innocent bystander swarmed by dozens of Mooresville cops over prank call

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — A prank call to the Mooresville Police Department led to a jogger getting swarmed by dozens of cops.

On December 12, 2023, police responded to the Waterlynn community in Mooresville after someone called the police department, saying they had just killed their mother and tied up their sisters.

“I saw the Mooresville police come down this road right here. And there was a lot of them, you know, we’re talking not just two to five, it was like 10 to 15, maybe even 20,” said Nate Rose.

The caller gave their name, age and address, but no description of himself. When police arrived, they saw Rose on a jog and surrounded him, causing a traumatic event for an innocent bystander.

“One of them just came out instantly drew his gun and said, ordered me to the ground. I complied. I said my name and where I was from, my age,” said Rose. “I wasn’t fighting them or resisting them.”

Rose had no idea why officers were after him. Police said he was being investigated for murdering his mother.

He was detained for 11 minutes before officers let him go. In the days that followed, he grappled with what happened.

Eventually, it came out that it all started as a prank call.

The call came around 6 p.m. about a quarter-mile from where officers were dispatched. The caller threatened to shoot any police officers who responded.

“If you send cops to my house, I’m going to shoot at them. Don’t send cops to my house. I just want paramedic for my mom. I have an AR-15 and a pipe bomb,” said the caller in an audio recording from MPD obtained by Channel 9.

Mooresville Police said based on the information from the call, multiple officers responded and “took the necessary steps to ensure the safety of possible victims, of those in the immediate vicinity, and of themselves while securing the area.”

But for Rose, he was sleepless, traumatized by the unforeseen events.

“I didn’t sleep for three days you know, after the incident you know, you’re always scared of law enforcement now after that incident.

He said Mooresville Police never apologized for the incident, so he filed a lawsuit. He claims the department violated his constitutional rights and used excessive force, especially because he wasn’t resisting.

Before the incident, he was hoping to join Mooresville law enforcement.

“I just have just a completely different view on law enforcement, like I said, from going to join the law enforcement to where I am now,” Rose explained.

Mooresville Police is still investigating who is responsible for the hoax call. They say it came from an internet phone number.

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