UPPER WEST SIDE — Local 911 operators have recently received an influx of calls threatening harm to the mayor, police and the city recently, a local precinct captain said.
Police have not been able to determine whether the more than two-dozen calls, which are being tracked to locations in the lower West 90s, have come from one caller or multiple callers, according to 24th Precinct Capt. Marlon Larin.
The caller or callers are using a function available on mobile phones that allows them to dial 911 without a registered number, making the call traceable only to the nearest cellphone tower but not a person or address, Larin explained.
Police have not been able to confirm with 911 operators yet whether they suspect the calls are only from one person, he said.
The most serious and pointed call came in on Aug. 30, when the caller threatened to kill Mayor de Blasio and blow up Gracie Mansion — a threat that proved unfounded but police took seriously, he said.
In recent weeks, other calls have come in with threats that there's "an Arab guy with a drone above Central Park," "an Arab guy with a rocket launcher," and "a cop lying dead in the street," among others, Larin said.
"They’re definitely geared towards violence and terrorism," he said.
The 24th Precinct has responded to each threat accordingly, Larin noted.
"When our officers respond, you can never take it for granted," he said. "That one time might be a real thing."
Though the calls haven't led anywhere so far, "it might be a setup for an ambush someday" or to test police responsiveness, Larin explained.
If locals see multiple police and emergency vehicles in the area, it may likely be a response to one of the calls, he said.
"Some people are bored... Some people want to keep us off task... Some people hate us," Larin added.
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