A wildlife ranger stabbed himself, sparked a massive manhunt that shut down schools—and his lawyer’s explanation is too hard to believe

A wildlife ranger in Colorado named Callum Heskett has been ordered to pay nearly $17,000 in restitution and will serve three years of supervised probation after staging a fake stabbing that triggered a massive, multi-agency manhunt. Heskett, who was 26 at the time, was working as a seasonal ranger at Staunton State Park for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Heskett called for help, claiming he had been attacked and stabbed in the stomach by an unknown person who then fled on foot. According to The Sun, he gave a detailed description of the fake suspect, which immediately sent law enforcement into action.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies, tactical officers, SWAT teams, drones, state patrol, and aviation teams all rushed to the park. Staunton State Park was completely shut down while a search on foot and by air was launched to find the supposed attacker. Heskett himself was airlifted to a local hospital for his self-inflicted injuries.

The hoax caused real harm to innocent people and drained critical law enforcement resources

Jeffcom 911 issued a lookout alert to around 8,600 residents in the surrounding area, warning them of a potential danger. Several local schools and nearby homes went into lockdown. Heskett also told police that the attacker had said “something to the effect of, ‘f— the police,'” adding another layer to his false story.

Two innocent people were detained and interviewed before investigators figured out they had nothing to do with the supposed attack. It was only later that investigators determined Heskett had stabbed himself in the abdomen. This case draws some unsettling parallels to a Montana teacher accused in a disturbing stabbing case that also raised serious questions about the people involved.

Heskett pleaded guilty to attempting to influence a public servant, a felony, and false reporting of an emergency, a misdemeanor. Deputy District Attorney Michael Rex told the court that Heskett “was in a position of authority and trust” and had “abused that authority” by filing a false report. Rex also pointed out that innocent people were investigated and critical law enforcement resources were tied up, meaning other police reports likely went unanswered.

During the sentencing hearing, Heskett’s defense counsel said he was “very regretful” and willing to pay restitution. Their explanation for his actions was that “a law enforcement career was not a good choice for him; he could not handle a lot of the stressors associated with that.” His counsel added that Heskett “has no aspirations to return to law enforcement,” and psychological and substance evaluations were provided to the District Attorney’s office. 

Cases where self-inflicted injuries are at the center of an investigation have become increasingly controversial, as seen in a Philadelphia case where parents allege a cover-up surrounding their daughter’s supposed self-stabbing.

District Court Judge Diego Hunt accepted Heskett’s guilty plea and acknowledged the significant impact on the community and the financial drain on law enforcement resources. As a result, Heskett’s state-level Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification has been revoked, barring him from any future recertification. The final restitution amount will cover costs incurred by all the agencies that responded to the hoax.