A poster advertising “Dayton’s The Purge” began circulating on Twitter and Facebook this week, indicating the event would take place today from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
Dayton police said they’ve seen the post and believe it to be a hoax.
Officers will be prepared should incidents take place, however, said Lt. Wendy Stiver. She added that anyone encouraging a “Purge” in Dayton could face criminal action.
“Any rumor that any criminal activity would be tolerated or permitted in the city of Dayton is completely baseless and unfounded,” Stiver said. “Any person who intends to incite panic or incite others to any act of violence or crime could be criminally charged for that behavior.”
Similar rumors of “The Purge” circulated in other cities. The first was in Louisville, Ky., and was tied by law enforcement to a Louisville teenager who said he created the poster and subsequent rumor because he thought it would “be a fun thing.” The trend has spread to other cities across the nation. To date, no riots have been tied to “The Purge” movement.
Anyone witnessing criminal activity is encouraged to call Dayton police.
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