San Carlos School Lockdown Caused By Fake Shooting Report: Police

SAN CARLOS, CA — A woman called in a false report of a shooting in a San Carlos park in an attempt to distract police from arresting another woman, the San Mateo County Sheriff's office said Tuesday. The false report led to the lockdown of a nearby elementary school, police said.

Around noon Tuesday, police responded to a report from a neighbor about two suspicious people on the 400 block of Portofino Drive in San Carlos.

Deputies found an unoccupied vehicle with stolen license plates and possibly stolen merchandise inside, police said.

A few blocks away, deputies found Lineti Takapuotuafi, 27, of Oakland, who fit the description of one of the suspicious people, according to police. While Takapuotuafi was being interviewed, police received multiple 911 calls made by Antoinette Florez, 33, of Fresno, saying there was a shooting at a park nearby.

Police determined that the calls were intended to distract police and release Takapuotuafi. Police traced the calls to a nearby home on the 400 block of Portofino Drive, and came into contact with Florez.

The women were arrested and booked into the Maguire Jail on suspicion of charges including false report of an emergency, conspiracy to commit crime, possession of stolen property and mail theft.