Joseph Restaurant in Miami site of hostage situation: report

In a story that got stranger as Monday afternoon rolled on, the Miami police say a hostage situation at a Little Havana club-restaurant may have been a hoax.

The Miami Police Department surrounded the Joseph Restaurant, located on NW 7th Street at 19th Avenue, deployed sniper teams and closed nearby schools as every area news outlet reported that the bar’s manager was holding 12 patrons and employees hostage.

In one of the stranger details, a police spokesman told the Miami Herald that there were no guns or other threatening weapons being used to keep the “hostages” inside.

Because there were none, the Miami PD tweeted on its official account around 6:10 p.m.

“The SWAT team concluded their search of the premises and determined that the building was clear and nobody was inside or in harms way,” the Miami PD said.

Update: The SWAT team concluded their search of the premises and determined that the building was clear and nobody was inside or in harms way. The woman who provided initial hostage situation is being detained for questioning. The street is being reopened. https://t.co/jp1n3D85ce

— Miami PD (@MiamiPD) February 5, 2018

Police initially responded to the scene after a report of a cell phone robbery outside the club, which led the victim to go inside to call 911 but, according to authorities, he was told he could not.

“Our officers were contacted by a female who came out and stated that they are being held hostage by management,” the police tweeted around 3:30 p.m.

update: Following a robbery of cell phone outside of the establishment, Joseph Restaurant, our officers were contacted by a female who came out and stated that they are being held hostage by management. https://t.co/AjtgH5CoMx

— Miami PD (@MiamiPD) February 5, 2018

After almost three hours the police were tweeting a different tune.

“The woman who provided initial hostage situation is being detained for questioning. The street is being reopened,” Miami PD wrote.