Alleged hostage-taking at Miami club appears to be hoax: police

The reported hostage situation at a night club in Miami appears to be a hoax.

Miami police announced early Monday evening on Twitter that “SWAT team concluded their search of the premises and determined that the building was clear and nobody was inside or in harms (sic) way.”

The Miami Police Department responded to a call earlier in the day about a stolen cellphone in front of the Joseph Club in the Little Havana district of Miami. Upon arrival, police said they were informed that around 12 people were being held hostage by management.

“The management is holding them hostage because they don’t want them to talk to police,” Miami police spokesman Michael Vega told the Miami Herald. “They’re being held against their will.”

Initially, a pair of nearby schools were placed on lockdown but that was lifted shortly afterwards.

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Police say that the woman who reported the hostage-taking is in custody for questioning.