A carefully scripted “Swatting” call focused police attention on a small, quiet street in Lafayette Sunday, police and fire personnel swarming into the area and standing by until threats made in the call could be proven false.
Officers and deputies honoring a mutual aid protocol for potentially deadly incidents descended on East Street at approximately 12:25 p.m., proceeding with extreme caution before communication with an occupant of the home could be made.
Similar calls, flooding schools and towns across the country in recent months, have been made to police and almost always mention a homicide or “active shooter” scenario, a hostage situation, and weapons guaranteed to provoke an immediate and “heavy” police response.
The purpose? To call down unwarranted police attention on a chosen target, sometimes an individual but most recently local schools.
In the last several weeks, dozens of these calls have flooded schools across the country, including 50 school districts in New York state on April 4, 28 communities in Massachusetts on March 28, at least 12 in Wyoming on April 3, nine Missouri schools on March 27, and at least 30 in Iowa on March 21.
Such scams have come to be called “swatting” in reference to “SWAT teams” – heavily armed police that respond to active shooter incidents. Police have noted similar calls to schools in the 24/680, terrorizing students, school officials, and parents – often targeting groups of schools on the same day in a particular state.
Current phone technology makes it easy for almost anyone to obtain a phone number anonymously and to make that number difficult to trace. Police are aware of the trend and have adjusted their tactics accordingly.
Investigators have determined that many calls are made by young people hoping to victimize others, some randomly and others not, and hiding behind technology as they sow confusion and fear. They are not, however, perfectly anonymous and several transgressors have been located and prosecuted after making their calls.
Reprehensible behavior by those who engage in “swatting”. First responder resources squandered for some misguided individuals’ attempt at “humor”. Should these ne’er-do-wells be apprehended, the attendant justice should be hard and fast.
Agree, Jeff. Thinking this practice has replaced – well, not entirely, but close – TP’ing as a favorite teen pastime. Schools are often targeted, or homes with teen family members the perpetrators hope to scare. It’s unwise, a waste as you say, and could have lethal consequences.
That is quite an escalation from TP’ing to swatting though. This seems much more sinister and damaging. It’s like when kids pull false fire alarm buttons, but amplified
Well, yes… but both are often aimed at youthful members of a targeted household.
As scary as this is cops should be able to deal with it as long as they remember they aren’t soldiers fighting in occupied terrirtory.
We can say that the “scripts” we’ve heard used are carefully written to heighten a police response, mentioning specific weapons and scenarios, e.g. hostages, active shooter, explosives, etc.
And we believe police have shown considerable restraint despite having to be prepared to meet such eventualities.
NEWS24/680
Agreed I think the police depts around here usually do a good job in general, i have read of some of these cases in other states where less restraint was used.
Saw the firetrucks and then the cops. Bizarre. Thanks for the info.
I remember when the world was a simpler kinder place and this sorta thing would have ended up with 10 pizzas being delivered to someone who didn’t order them instead of a potentially deadly situation.
Did you read the Chronicle’s account of this incident?
We did not, MB, stopped reading them when we left 5th and Mission!
NEWS24/680