**Viral News Snippet:**

Viral News Snippet:

🚨 BREAKING: San Diego Police Confirm “Active Shooter” Call Was Actually a Viral TikTok Prank Gone Wrong – Suspects Filmed Themselves Firing Blanks at Park

San Diego, CA – Chaos erupted at Balboa Park this afternoon after a series of loud pops sent dozens of families running for cover, triggering a massive police response with helicopters and SWAT teams. But in a bizarre twist, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit just confirmed the entire incident was a viral social media stunt.

According to officials, three 19-year-old influencers were detained after allegedly firing blank rounds from a replica handgun while filming a “prank panic” video for TikTok. Witnesses described the trio laughing as terrified parents shielded children behind benches and picnic tables.

“This wasn’t a shooting. It was a reckless, dangerous hoax that drained emergency resources and traumatized innocent people,” Chief Nisleit said at a tense press conference. “We are charging all three with felony false reporting and weapons violations.”

However, a fact-check alert is now sweeping social media: Some users are falsely claiming that the suspects were “legal gun owners defending themselves.” That is FALSE. Police confirmed no live ammunition was used, and the replica weapon did not require a permit.

Verdict: REAL (police confirmed the hoax) – but the “self-defense” narrative is FAKE. The suspects were unarmed with live rounds and reportedly told officers the “prank” was inspired by a similar viral trend in California last month. The video has since been removed from TikTok.

LATEST: All three suspects are being held without bail. The park has reopened.