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A Roswell woman was arrested Wednesday after allegedly calling in a false bomb threat to American Airlines regarding her ex-boyfriend, disrupting operations at Roswell Air Center and triggering a multi-agency security response.
The incident began when 47-year-old Brooke Ayers contacted American Airlines Wednesday morning with claims about her ex-boyfriend, who was scheduled to depart on a flight from Roswell Air Center that afternoon. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration notified the Roswell Police Department (RPD) about the call at approximately 8:45 a.m.
As authorities responded to the potential threat, police intercepted the 34-year-old Indiana man as he approached the terminal in a rental vehicle. Officers detained him and secured the area around his vehicle near the entrance to the terminal parking lot along Earl Cummings Loop.
The response required significant resources, with RPD and New Mexico State Police (NMSP) blocking off the area while awaiting specialized assistance. NMSP bomb team personnel and an explosives detection K-9 unit were dispatched from Albuquerque to assess the situation. During the investigation, airport officials implemented contingency plans, allowing passengers to access the terminal through alternative routes to minimize disruption to scheduled flights.
By approximately 2:45 p.m., investigators determined the man had neither made bomb threats nor possessed any explosive materials. The joint investigation revealed Ayers had fabricated the claims following a domestic dispute with her ex-boyfriend the previous evening that had resulted in the termination of their relationship.
“This type of false report not only puts innocent people in danger but diverts critical emergency resources away from legitimate public safety concerns,” said a law enforcement spokesperson familiar with the case, who requested anonymity as they weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.
The incident highlights a growing trend of “revenge reporting,” where individuals make false claims to law enforcement following personal disputes. According to FBI statistics, such false reports to transportation facilities have increased by nearly 18% nationwide over the past three years, causing disruptions and unnecessary expenditure of public safety resources.
When officers arrived at Ayers’ northwest Roswell residence to question her about the false report, the situation escalated. According to police reports, she threatened to retrieve a knife to use against an officer, necessitating physical restraint. While being handcuffed, Ayers allegedly resisted arrest and injured an officer by digging her nails into their arm.
A judge signed an arrest warrant late Wednesday afternoon, and Ayers now faces multiple charges including making a bomb scare, aggravated assault on a peace officer, battery upon a peace officer, and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer. The bomb threat charge alone carries potential penalties of up to 18 months in prison and fines up to $5,000 under New Mexico state law.
American Airlines, which operates several daily flights from Roswell Air Center to major hubs including Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix, has not issued a public statement regarding the incident. The regional airport serves approximately 70,000 passengers annually and is a critical transportation link for southeastern New Mexico.
After being cleared of any wrongdoing, the man was released from police custody. RPD’s Criminal Investigations unit confirmed he was a victim of the false claim made by Ayers. It remains unclear if the man was able to reschedule his flight or what financial impact the incident may have had on his travel plans.
Local authorities emphasized that making false reports about transportation security not only disrupts travel and commerce but also constitutes a serious criminal offense with significant legal consequences.
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16 Comments
This is a worrying situation. False bomb threats are incredibly disruptive and can sow fear and panic. I hope the authorities are able to get to the bottom of this incident and hold the responsible party accountable.
This is a very unsettling incident. False bomb threats at airports are incredibly irresponsible and disruptive. I hope the authorities are able to get to the bottom of this and hold the perpetrator accountable.
False bomb threats are incredibly disruptive and irresponsible. This situation must have caused a lot of chaos and concern at the airport. I hope the authorities were able to resolve it swiftly and safely.
Agreed. Making false claims to disrupt air travel is a serious offense that puts many people at risk. Glad the authorities responded quickly to secure the area.
This is a concerning incident. Spreading false information about threats to aviation safety is extremely irresponsible and can put many people in danger. I hope the authorities are able to hold the perpetrator accountable.
Bomb scares at airports are always deeply concerning, even if they turn out to be false. I’m glad the authorities were able to respond quickly and secure the area. Falsely reporting threats like this can have serious consequences.
Agreed. The efficient response by law enforcement and airport personnel likely prevented a much worse outcome. Spreading misinformation about threats to aviation safety is a reckless act.
Bomb scares at airports are always deeply unsettling. I’m glad the authorities were able to respond quickly and secure the area. False claims like this can have serious consequences and disrupt critical infrastructure.
Agreed. The efficient response by law enforcement and airport personnel likely prevented a much worse outcome. Falsely reporting threats is a reckless act that deserves strict penalties.
This is a very worrying situation. False bomb threats at airports are incredibly disruptive and can sow fear and panic. I hope the authorities are able to get to the bottom of this incident and hold the responsible party accountable.
Bomb scares at airports are always deeply unsettling, even if they turn out to be false. I’m glad the authorities were able to respond quickly and secure the area. Falsely reporting threats like this can have severe consequences.
Absolutely. The resources required to address a potential threat must be significant. I hope the airport was able to resume normal operations as soon as it was safe to do so.
Bomb threats at airports are always extremely concerning, even if they turn out to be false. I’m glad the authorities were able to respond swiftly and secure the area. Falsely reporting threats like this can have severe consequences.
Absolutely. The resources required to address a potential threat like this must be significant. I hope the airport was able to resume normal operations as soon as it was safe to do so.
It’s alarming to hear about this bomb scare at the Roswell Airport. Thankfully, the authorities were able to intervene and secure the area. False claims like this can have serious consequences.
The resources required to address a threat like this must have been significant. I hope the airport was able to resume normal operations as soon as it was safe to do so.