(Surf City, N.C.) Local police managed to calm jittery residents after confirming overnight that a number of mysterious silhouettes that appeared on a nearby beach were actual people.
“We sent officers and detectives out after getting a number of frantic calls from residents about images they were seeing but couldn’t identify,” Lt. Derek Patterson said. “Once officers arrived on the scene, they carefully approached the silhouettes and made contact with them, determining almost immediately that they were indeed real persons.”
Asked if people should be more careful next time calling in such reports since silhouettes are common, especially this time of year during the evening hours, Patterson dismissed the notion.
“Look, people need to feel comfortable, we get it. We would rather residents give us a call when they see something suspicious like this then just ignore it and hope that it’ll go away,” he explained. “Often, it’s difficult to tell in these circumstances. Better to be safe than sorry.”
Patterson was asked if the department was preparing to limit the number of silhouettes on the beach at any given time, but he said that is for the city council to decide, not the department.
“We provide public safety and law enforcement. We don’t make the laws,” he said.
