A military training exercise overnight in Beech Grove left some area residents terrified the area had come under attack.
Residents heard many large explosions and gunshots around 1 a.m. Tuesday. The police department says it warned residents about the exercise, but many people apparently did not get the message.
Several people called 911 or the WTHR newsroom and took to social media asking what was going on.
Beech Grove Police say it was all part of a training exercise by the Department of Defense at the old St. Francis Hospital building.
They say they went door-to-door in the area near the hospital Monday evening, notifying residents of the planned exercise, which involved more than 100 soldiers in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command taking part in military training in urban terrain.
"The training here provides a unique experience for our men and women in the military to get better at their jobs and protect us. In an effort to alleviate concerns and let people know what's going on, earlier today members of BGPD went to neighborhood, knocked on doors, telling people what to be expecting," said Beech Grove Police Capt. Robert Mercuri.
Police say they also let emergency and 911 dispatchers know, but not everyone got the message.
A supervisor at the Marion County Communications Center told Eyewitness News the operators on staff last night didn't know about the exercise ahead of time.
"We didn't know," said Blaine Bonney, a Beech Grove resident. "The one that was all blacked out was a little weird. Normally you see lights and blinking in the sky. There was one that wasn't."
Bonney and others reported helicopters hovering around the St. Francis Hospital building. Around 100 people in the urban training exercise utilized not only helicopters but ammunition.
According to police, training ammunition was used, but no bullets were fired.
The police department apologized for any miscommunication and say they will head back to the neighborhood again this week to let people know since training will continue.
Tim Finney was glad he got the message from police so he could enjoy the sights and sounds and not be afraid.
"Said Department of Defense was going to be doing some training exercise in the area and not to panic and don't flood 911 with a bunch of calls," Finney explained.
Finney lives near the former hospital and had a front row seat to the training.
"It was about midnight and we were sitting up watching TV yet, when we heard the helicopters come in. We come running outside and seen one come landing down," he said. "There was three above the hospital, one back this way and then all of a sudden, they lowered and you heard a bunch of booms and then they all took off and a bunch of other little flying things with lights flashing."
The Marion County Sheriff's 911 Communications Center was flooded with calls last night, after dozens of Beech Grove residents saw those same helicopters in the sky.
Beech Grove Police can't say where communication broke down. Beech Grove resident Robert Bewley is glad he got the heads up.
"If I didn't know, if he didn't come tell me, I'd probably be scared, yes," said Bewley.
Police say they didn't use social media or news media to get the word out, to avoid curious onlookers.
"Absolutely not something you want to hide, but you want to be able to respond to it when it happens, but you also don't want to sit out there and create an event," Mercuri said.
For Tim Finney, it was enough of an event watching military helicopters come in, right from his front yard.
"It was something to see," he said. "They're the biggest mamas I've ever seen coming flying in here."
Those helicopters might not be the last residents see. Beech Grove Police say the Department of Defense told them there could be more training throughout the week.
Beech Grove Police would not discuss the specifics of the exercise, but said there was no danger to any of the city's residents.
Facebook hoax
The Beech Grove Police Department addressed concerns about a Facebook message circulating Tuesday claiming that the military was testing dangerous chemicals.
"Beech Grove Police Department advises those citizens that may have read a bogus AP report spread via Facebook. The fake 'press release' contained fabricated information in it claiming that chemical agents were used or will be used during the military training exercise occurring in Beech Grove. The 'release' is categorically false. None of the information in the alleged statement was accurate, including the name of the author or the source that is quoted."
