According to the rumors, real life The Purge imitations
|
|
are set to begin at 8 p.m. Friday until 6:30 a.m. Saturday, with one rumored for 15 August through 16 August in Louisville, Kentucky.
Other cities subject to "Purge" rumors include Jacksonville, Florida, Detroit, Michigan, and Cleveland, Ohio, with at least one mentioned for later in August.
Given the virality of this rumor it's quite likely "Louisville's the Purge" will morph into panics and whispers in other cities as the social shares generated by the story live on via Facebook and Twitter throughout the summer.
The scare has been a topic of conversation and intrigue across the local social web, and it appears many residents are genuinely fearful such an event could come to pass. Making matters worse, the rumor has filtered into the blogosphere, along with suggestions that the "threat" is credible.
School events in and around Louisville have been canceled due to the rumor, and police have addressed growing concern among residents.
Louisville Metro Police Department Sgt. Phil Russell said of the fears:
Student reporters in Louisville claim to have identified a student who accidentally started what they've called the "Purge hoax," though the teen's name was not supplied:
The site linked in the tweet above quotes the unnamed student as saying that he tweeted the image as a joke after watching the film, and did not intend to kick off any panic:
Police declined to confirm the student's rumored link to online "Purge" fears.
While it appears police are taking Purge rumors seriously in Louisville, no evidence has emerged to suggest a cause other than intense social media panic.
