NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (September 4, 2025) — Police arrested a 19-year-old Nashville resident on two counts of falsely reporting an incident after investigations linked him to hoax calls about a man with a gun that led to his own detentions.
Mikail Trinidad was taken into custody Sept. 3 on the charges, both E felonies under New York State Penal Law Section 240.55. He was also arrested on an outstanding warrant from New Jersey for a similar offense, charged as a misdemeanor under New York State Criminal Procedure Law Section 570.06 as a fugitive from justice.
The arrests stem from two incidents in New Rochelle. On May 12, at approximately 10:55 p.m., officers responded to a report of a male with a gun in the area of North Avenue and Lockwood Avenue. The anonymous caller claimed the male had concealed a firearm in a fanny pack. Officers stopped a male matching the description in front of a Dollar Tree store.
The individual was recognized as the same person stopped on April 8 for a similar report. In both instances, the male consented to a search, which yielded no weapons. He refused to provide identifying information to officers during both encounters.
Investigations revealed that the male was on his phone at the time of the 911 calls in both incidents. The caller claimed to be following the male, yet the individual was alone when stopped. Attempts to contact the anonymous caller were unsuccessful once the male was detained.
Evidence suggests that Trinidad may have been making the 911 calls himself or coordinating with another individual to provoke a police response. Trinidad has a documented history of similar behavior. The arrest on Sept. 3 was executed based on evidence that he deliberately made false reports to incite police interaction.
The New Rochelle Police Department is committed to ensuring public safety and addressing misuse of emergency services. Falsely reporting incidents diverts critical resources from genuine emergencies and endangers the community. We encourage the public to report suspicious activity responsibly.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.