Police Warn Against Swatting Calls After False Shooting Report in West Michigan
Michigan State Police say that a call about a shooting between Vicksburg and Athens on Thursday was not legitimate.
Around 11 a.m. on December 28 Paw Paw troopers and Kalamazoo County Deputies responded to a reported shooting at an address in Wakeshma Township in Kalamazoo County.
After an investigation the call was determined to be a swatting incident, which is when a person calls 911 to falsely report a serious crime occurring at a specific address.
MSP is reminding residents that these calls tie up valuable resources and are taken seriously.
Swatting calls can also create confusion and concern in and around the reported location, lead to rumors and misinformation being spread online and in the community, and generally causes chaos.
In a post to social media, MSP say this case will be investigated to its fullest extent to identify and hold accountable those responsible for this incident.
Anyone with information is asked to call Kalamazoo Silent Observer tip line at 269-343-2100 or the MSP Paw Paw post at 269-657-5551.
This follows two swatting incidents in Grand Rapids in October, in which a hotel and a restaurant were targeted.
According to WJTV, there have been multiple swatting calls targeting public officials nationwide in recent days.
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