From Saturday, January 27th, 2024
On January 19th, around 11pm, Altoona residents Jessica Clapper and Stephen Port and their family were in for the night, about to go to sleep. Stephen received a call from law enforcement that no one would expect or want to get.
Jessica Clapper’s Facebook post:
“There is nothing like waking up from sleeping and being told to go outside your house with your hands up!!!
Public Awareness Alert!!!!!!!
This is very real. I know this because this happened to us personally last night! Thankfully everything turned out for us ok and no one was hurt.
So let me explain a call was placed to 911 stating someone had just shot and killed their mother and they were not going to jail tonight for it. They gave our address.
So the police called Stephen Port stating he must go outside our house with his hands up. He quickly came to see if anyone in our household called 911 by accidentally maybe rolling over on our phone or something. Stephen (he has previous experience with APD years ago and suffers PTSD from it). So I went out of our residence first with my hands up and was instructed by a swarm of SWAT to move to them quickly. I understand now why ( though at the time who runs in the dark to guns pointing at them) not knowing what is really going on. So everyone who was at our house had to come out one at a time. Our place was gone through by police and after standing outside for 30 min. The house was cleared and we were able to go back in side. I am a bit upset that things got broke or damaged by APD doing their job however some need to remember and put their selves in others shoes and how would they like if that was there home.”
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Stephen Port’s Facebook post:
“This was more horrifying than anything, even what happened to me prior especially because this included snipers, swat, Altoona Police, Logan Township, Sheriffs office, and people I have never seen before.
I’m heartbroken that this occurred. Traumatized would be a understatement I can’t even tell you how I feel. Sure people apologized, and when all the pieces fell together it seems something that’s happening on national news happened to me and my family.
Look I don’t care if you are political in any means, but whoever did this I pray the Lord give the police or FBI a clue. This person should be held accountable for the damage that was done to our home, and the mental anguish.
The torment that I felt hopeless watching men who are sworn to protect us carry out their duty, knowing no matter what we said or did it was still going to happen.
There are other things I won’t address on social media, but we NEED to talk about them.
To my friends on the force who were not there last night. Thank you for mentoring and teaching the younger officers common sense.
I understand they thought they were going into a situation where my son had allegedly murdered his mother and then was refusing to come out. Had enough time been taken place, they would have discovered my mother God rest her sole has been in Heaven for many years now.
Praise the Lord that nobody was injured.
I appreciate the love and support we have been given and to all of the first responders staged in the area to treat the injured.
Swatting is not FUNNY and as said earlier I could care less if you are Republican, Democrat or Independent. Wrong Stephen Port. I don’t work in politics. I’m a telephone operator and customer service agent.”
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We asked the Altoona Area Police Department if they could provide any statement about this event. Their repsonse:
“On January 19th, at 2254 hours, The Altoona Police Department received a 911 call in reference to a shooting that had occurred inside a residence in the City. Altoona Police Officers were able to make contact with the residents in question to discover that it was a false 911 call and there was no actual emergency. This is an ongoing criminal investigation as we continue to attempt to ascertain the identity of the caller.”
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PODCAST Altoona Couple SWATTED WRTA Weekend with Doug Herendeen