Swatting

Swatting is a criminal harassment tactic in which an individual makes a false report to emergency services to prompt a swift, armed police response at a target's location. The aim is to intimidate, disrupt, or punish the target by creating the perception of an urgent, life-threatening incident.

The typical operation involves the caller providing a convincing but fictitious account of an emergency—such as an active shooter, hostage situation, or bomb threat—to 911 or the local equivalent, often using techniques to spoof the caller's identity or obscure their location. The report is designed to trigger a high-risk response, frequently a SWAT team or specialized law-enforcement units. Swatting can spread quickly through online networks and is sometimes linked to online disputes or harassment.

Swatting causes serious physical danger, property damage, emotional distress, and substantial financial costs. It wastes police resources and can lead to wrongful confrontations or injuries to innocent bystanders or the targeted individual. In some cases, it has resulted in the use of deadly force.

Legal consequences vary by jurisdiction but generally include charges for false reporting, making threats, and other hoaxes. In the United States, perpetrators can face federal charges and significant sentences. A high-profile case in 2017–2019 involved a swatting incident in Wichita, Kansas; the caller led officers to an innocent man’s residence, where the man was killed. The perpetrator, Tyler Barriss, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

Prevention and response emphasize verification by emergency services, rapid de-escalation, and cooperation among platforms, telecom providers, and police. Targets can reduce risk through protecting personal contact details, using secure communications, and coordinating with local authorities about potential harassment. Community awareness and robust penalties are used to deter this dangerous wrongdoing.