Call of Duty Game Chat Triggers Bomb Scare at California Airport
A passenger overheard a discussion about bombs and explosions that turned out to be about the video game.
A passenger discussing Call of Duty on FaceTime caused a bomb scare that forced the evacuation of a Frontier Airlines flight at Ontario International Airport in California on Sunday, November 8.
According to CBS Los Angeles, another passenger overheard the conversation, which included the words "bomb" and "explosion," and alerted the flight crew.
The passenger reportedly heard the words "bomb" and "explosion," prompting authorities to take the potential threat seriously.
As a precaution, officials evacuated the aircraft and cleared the east wing of Terminal 2 while police investigated the situation.
Police detained the individual responsible for the suspicious comments, but the situation quickly took an unexpected turn.
While being questioned, the passenger explained that the conversation was actually about Call of Duty, with the references to explosives relating to events happening in the video game.
What initially sounded like a potentially dangerous situation turned out to be someone discussing virtual explosions with a friend.
Authorities conducted a sweep of the aircraft but found no explosives or other suspicious devices.
Investigators ultimately determined that no crime had been committed.
All passengers, including the individual who had been detained, were eventually allowed to reboard the flight and continue their journey.
It’s unclear how long the evacuation delayed the flight or where the aircraft was headed.
Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time Call of Duty has caused a police response over misunderstood gameplay.
Back in 2018, a Florida family playing Call of Duty had armed police called to their home after neighbors overheard them shouting about guns and killing each other.
The neighbors believed they were witnessing a domestic violence incident, but officers discovered the family had simply gotten carried away playing the shooter.
Like the airport incident, nobody was charged, and the misunderstanding was resolved without anyone being injured.
