BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The man arrested in connection with falsely reporting an active shooter at Memorial and Mercy Hospital has plead no contest to the felony charge of impersonating an officer.
Marion George Edward Thompson, 46, was originally charged with 6 misdemeanors along with the felony, including possession of tear gas weapon by a person with a prior conviction and brandishing firearm replica. The misdemeanor charges were all dismissed in court on Tuesday, December 18.
Thompson is scheduled to be in court on January 17 for sentencing.
According to authorities, Thompson represented himself as a police officer to Memorial Hospital staff by brandishing a metal security badge and pouch with the word “police” on it, and said he was an off-duty police officer.
As officers arrived, he continued to act as law enforcement and helped them in clearing the hospital with a BB gun, which was indistinguishable from a real firearm, the documents read.
Thompson said he made the false report to “test” the readiness of the police department, according to the court documents.
However, in a jailhouse interview with 23ABC News , Thompson said he was not responsible for the phone calls, but added that somebody was "testing" BPD.
