Southeast Division patrol officers, Tactical Section, Canine Unit, Air-one, the Duty Officer and EMS responded to the address and set up a Command Post to safely resolve the situation.
The investigation revealed the residents were victims of a prank known as “swatting.”
Swatting is a false report given to 911 emergency services about a serious incident often involving weapons, and giving the illusion of lives at risk. Often these calls occur within the video gaming sphere and can make it difficult to find out where the call originates from.
“This is a crime of public mischief,” says Insp. Regan James. “These false calls can put a significant strain on emergency services and resources and affect other legitimate calls for service.”
Police continue to investigate.
Anyone with information about this incident or persons responsible is asked to contact the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.tipsubmit.com/start.htm.