A 21-year-old Ellington man was arrested on Monday after an April Fools’ Day prank on his girlfriend prompted the evacuation of a Friendly’s restaurant in South Windsor and the Buffalo Wild Wings next door.
Mark Foreman was working at the Friendly’s at 240 Buckland Street at 11:30 p.m. when he sent a text to his girlfriend, who was working next door at Buffalo Wild Wings, police said.
It said Friendly's was being robbed, the robbers were still in the restaurant and employees were being held against their will, police said.
The girlfriend called 911.
Manchester police showed up, with guns drawn, thinking there was a threat inside Friendly's. They evacuated the employees at gunpoint while they tried to verify information.
Buffalo Wild Wings was also evacuated.
When police realized that the text was a hoax, Foreman was arrested and charged with falsely reporting an incident and breach of peace.
NBC Connecticut went to Foreman's house, but no one answered the door. He is due in court on April 12.
The status of Foreman's employment with Friendly's is not clear.