A bundled up Cape police officer stands guard near his squad car in inclement weather Friday as the SWAT team readies at a reported hostage situation on Southwest 14th Terrace Friday. When team members entered the home, it was empty. MICHAEL PISTELLA

Reports of an armed hostage situation turned up empty Friday but led Cape Coral police to find evidence of a grow house.
Police spokeswoman Connie Barron said a tip received from the Homestead, Florida Police Department early Friday morning led Cape investigators to the home at 1627 SW 14th Terrace.
According to Barron, someone walked into the Homestead Police Department and told police there was a potential armed hostage situation at the home.
The Cape Coral SWAT team entered the home late Friday afternoon to find it vacant, but did find evidence of what Barron described as a “grow house situation”, though she said the SWAT team wasn’t able to confirm what they found.
She said she did not know if grow house equipment was inside the home, but was thankful there were no hostages.
“Fortunately no one was inside,” Barron said. “We’ll take the investigation from here and see where it goes.”
Members of the Drug Enforcement Agency were also on scene, according to Barron, though she did not confirm their exact involvement.
There was no additional information about the individual who alerted Homestead Police to the potential hostage situation, according to Barron.
She added that Cape Coral investigators were unaware of any connection between the person who provided the tip and the house.
“We don’t know the impetus behind the tip,” she added.
During the reported standoff, Cape Coral Police had the streets surrounding Southwest 14th Terrace blocked off, keeping some residents from their homes while the situation unfolded.
Cape Coral SWAT team members eventually entered the home fully armed, finding it empty.
“We took it very seriously,” Connie Barron added.