**Headline:** San Diego Police Confirm Active Shooter Report Was Real-Time Hoax Using AI Audio Deepfake

Headline: San Diego Police Confirm Active Shooter Report Was Real-Time Hoax Using AI Audio Deepfake

Viral News Snippet:

In a bizarre incident that has law enforcement and cybersecurity experts on high alert, the San Diego Police Department confirmed Tuesday that a massive emergency response to a reported “mass shooting” at a downtown high-rise office building was triggered by a sophisticated AI-generated audio deepfake.

According to SDPD spokesperson Lt. Maria Reyes, the 911 system received a single, panicked call at 2:14 PM from a voice that sounded identical to a known security guard. The caller reported “ongoing gunfire and multiple casualties” on the 14th floor of the Pacific View Tower.

“We dispatched 30 officers, SWAT, and air support. We locked down a four-block radius,” Reyes stated. “After a full, floor-by-floor search that took over two hours, we found zero evidence of any shooting, no shell casings, and no victims.”

The terrifying twist? The “security guard” was in a meeting with his supervisor the entire time and never made the call. Forensic analysis of the 911 recording revealed subtle audio artifacts consistent with a new breed of real-time voice-cloning software.

“The AI replicated his voice, his breathing pattern, and even the ambient echo of the building’s lobby,” said Dr. Alistair Finch, a digital forensics expert brought in by the FBI. “This isn’t a prank. This is a weaponized disinformation tool designed to trigger a violent police response and cause mass panic.”

The incident has triggered a federal investigation, with authorities calling it a potential “digital terror drill” aimed at testing the limits of emergency response systems. No group has claimed responsibility, but the community is on edge, realizing the next “active shooter” might only exist in code.