Santa Ana neighborhood venomous snake sighting is a hoax, police say
The man who reported seeing a large venomous snake in his Santa Ana backyard has confessed that he made up the story and admitted that the photo he showed neighbors and police of the viper was AI-generated, according to the Santa Ana Police Department.
On Monday, reptile experts and police responded to a backyard in the 1400 block of Cypress Avenue after resident Joel Ciprian alerted his neighbors of the African viper and showed them a photo he allegedly took of the snake. He also sent that photo to the Santa Ana Police Department, which led to a community alert of the sighting.
"We have received reports of a snake believed to be a Gaboon viper, last seen in a tree within a residential neighborhood near Main Street and Edinger Avenue," police wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.
The post said the viper is highly venomous, about 4 to 5 feet long and not native to North America.
Some didn't believe Ciprian, calling his photo AI-generated. "I wish it was AI," Ciprian said on Monday. "It's in my backyard, and it's scary."
Police said an extensive search for the snake was conducted, and there was no evidence that a snake matching the provided description had been in the area.
Detectives followed up with Ciprian on Tuesday, and he admitted it was all not true.
"While there was speculation from the beginning that the photo may have been AI-generated, SAPD had to investigate and follow up to confirm what actually happened," the department wrote on Tuesday.
Neighbors said before Tuesday's update that they would be angry if it were a hoax, as they have been losing sleep with the thought of a poisonous viper slithering about.
"We appreciate the community's patience while our officers and reptile experts worked to investigate the report, search the area, and determine what actually happened," SAPD said.
