Disclosure: State of Alabama-based writer. This article is a work from cited sources for informational purposes and is used with permission. No affiliate links are included.
In the early morning hours of Saturday, October 26, 2024, police officers in Alabama responded to a serious-sounding call: a report of a stabbing on East Powell Street. Officers rushed over, only to find—well, absolutely nothing. No victim, no attacker, and no sign of any scuffle at all.
The plot thickened when, after canceling all the backup, investigators put their sleuthing skills to work to find out who was behind the bogus call. Not too long after, officers encountered their prankster in the flesh: 53-year-old Keri Lashun Leake of Appletree Street.
During questioning, Leake reportedly admitted he’d made the call to get back at someone he’d argued with earlier. His grand plan? Report a fake stabbing, hoping his nemesis would be on the receiving end of police attention. In other words, he’d aimed for revenge, but hit himself right in the legal system instead.