Valley City  (CSi)  Valley City Police Chief, Phil Hatcher, reports on Sunday (June 25) at about at 1:42 p.m. the Police Department was dispatched to Family Dollar Store concerning a man with a gun, in the parking lot.

The male had reportedly called the store reporting that he was in the parking lot holding a female hostage, and wanted pre-paid credit card numbers given to him or he would harm the hostage.

Valley City Police, and the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene and began to investigate, finding nobody  in any cars outside the business, which matched the description  of what was reported.

Officers made contact with the store and determined  they were still talking to the suspect on the phone.  Officers then took over the call as part of the investigation while officers worked with a cell phone provider to determine the location of the caller.  No threat  of imminent  harm, or a hostage was ever located at the Valley City store.

The cell phone the male suspect  was using was “pinged” by the cell phone provider and determined to be in Alabama.  Contact was made with the local law enforcement jurisdiction of the ping and further investigation is being done to determine who made the call, and to the extent of other calls being made to other Family Dollar establishment.

Charges of terrorizing  are pending at this time.

Chief Hatcher extends a huge thank-you to the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office and the Barnes County Dispatch for the assistance in the matter.