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Swatting

Police & Fire
Swatting Sting: Man Admits To Fake 911 Call About ‘Cracked Skull’ In Westchester, Police Say Swatting Sting: Man Admits To Fake 911 Call About ‘Cracked Skull’ In Westchester, Police Say
Swatting Sting: Man Admits To Fake 911 Call About ‘Cracked Skull’ In Westchester, Police Say A Putnam County man has been apprehended for a swatting incident that led to a large emergency response in Westchester, with investigators linking him to multiple similar hoaxes, police said. Mahopac resident Mikel Kolaj, 31, was arrested and charged with three counts of falsely reporting a crime after allegedly placing a false 911 call about a violent assault in progress at an Amawalk residence, New York State Police announced on Tuesday, Feb. 25.  The hoax call came in on Thursday, Feb. 20, at around 11:15 a.m., when an unknown female caller reported "My neighbor is assaulting his wi…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Bomb Hoaxer Admits Targeting Jewish Hospitals In NY, Live-Streaming On Social Media Bomb Hoaxer Admits Targeting Jewish Hospitals In NY, Live-Streaming On Social Media
Bomb Hoaxer Admits Targeting Jewish Hospitals In NY, Live-Streaming On Social Media An Oregon man formally confessed to making a series of bomb threats against Jewish hospitals in New York, some of which were live-streamed on social media. Domagoj Patkovic, age 31, of Portland, Oregon, pleaded guilty to conspiring to make bomb threats related offenses in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Patkovic and others called in bomb threats to Jewish hospitals and care centers in New York City and on Long Island beginning in May 2021, according to prosecutors. During the calls, they allegedly made violent threats and threatened to detonate explosive devices. Patkovic hi…

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by Michael Mashburn
Politics
Bomb Threats, Swatting Incidents Target Trump Cabinet Picks, Appointees, Spokesperson Says Bomb Threats, Swatting Incidents Target Trump Cabinet Picks, Appointees, Spokesperson Says
Bomb Threats, Swatting Incidents Target Trump Cabinet Picks, Appointees, Spokesperson Says Several of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet selections and administrative appointees were the targets threats the last two days, a spokesperson said, calling the acts "violent" and "un-American." According to a statement by the Trump-Vance Transition Team on Wednesday, Nov. 27, several individuals associated with the incoming administration were subjected to threats ranging from bomb scares to "swatting" incidents, in which false reports are made to dispatch emergency responders to someone's location. Law enforcement responded swiftly to ensure the safety of those targeted, the team s…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Police Respond To Threat At Danbury Fair Mall Police Respond To Threat At Danbury Fair Mall
Police Respond To Threat At Danbury Fair Mall Police responded to a threat involving a popular mall in Connecticut. It happened late Sunday afternoon, Oct. 6 in Fairfield County at the Danbury Fair Mall. Danbury Police say officers responded to a report of a possible incident at the mall at around 4:30 p.m.  The officers quickly determined that the threat was not credible and there was no danger to the public, according to police.  "This incident remains under investigation as a swatting call," according to Danbury Police. The mall reopened for business as usual. 

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by Joe Lombardi
News
School Swatting Attacks In Hudson Valley: Rep. Lawler Proposes Longer Prison Sentences School Swatting Attacks In Hudson Valley: Rep. Lawler Proposes Longer Prison Sentences
School Swatting Attacks In Hudson Valley: Rep. Lawler Proposes Longer Prison Sentences In response to a rise in school swatting attacks across the country, including in the Hudson Valley, US Rep. Mike Lawler is introducing legislation that would increase the prison term for those who threaten students.  Lawler, who represents New York's 17th congressional district which includes all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester counties, announced his proposal on Wednesday, Oct. 25.  The proposed legislation, called the Schools Want Accountability for Threats (SWAT) Act, would increase the penalty for a school swatting attack targeting a school t…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Swatting Incident: Hoax Shooting Call Prompts Police Response, Road Closure In Westchester Swatting Incident: Hoax Shooting Call Prompts Police Response, Road Closure In Westchester
Swatting Incident: Hoax Shooting Call Prompts Police Response, Road Closure In Westchester A fake shooting call that prompted a widespread police response and a road closure in Westchester is now being reported as a swatting incident, authorities said.  The incident happened just before 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 2, when the Dobbs Ferry Police Department was notified by a local mobile crisis team reporting that they had received a call from a man who had claimed to have shot his mother and uncle.  According to the department, the man had also told the crisis team that he was contemplating hurting himself.  The caller had identified his location as 135 Beacon Hill D…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Fake Report Prompts Large-Scale Police Response In Westchester Fake Report Prompts Large-Scale Police Response In Westchester
Fake Report Prompts Large-Scale Police Response In Westchester A swatting incident led to an extensive police response in Westchester, prompting authorities to begin a search for the perpetrator of the false report.  The incident happened on Thursday, May 25 just before 2:30 p.m., when an individual made a false report that led to a large police response near the lower area of Main Street in Irvington, according to Irvington Police.  After the false report was made, Irvington officers responded to the area and set up a safety perimeter with the help of police from Tarrytown and Dobbs Ferry.  After a preliminary investigation was conduct…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
14-Year-Old Student Charged In School Swatting Incident In Westchester: Police 14-Year-Old Student Charged In School Swatting Incident In Westchester: Police
14-Year-Old Student Charged In School Swatting Incident In Westchester: Police A 14-year-old student was arrested and charged with reporting a false shooting incident at a high school in Westchester, police said.  The incident happened on Wednesday, May 3 just after 11:30 a.m., when officers responded to Lincoln High School in Yonkers at 375 Kneeland Ave. after receiving an anonymous report of shots fired, according to Yonkers Police.  Once they arrived at the school, responding officers made contact with school officials and searched the building before determining that no shots had been fired and that the report had been unfounded.  Realizing th…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
School Swatting Incidents Occurring Across NY, State Police Say School Swatting Incidents Occurring Across NY, State Police Say
School Swatting Incidents Occurring Across NY, State Police Say Authorities are investigating numerous incidents of schools in New York state receiving swatting calls claiming there is an active shooter in the building, state police said.  The threatening calls were received by schools on Thursday morning, March 30, and have all been found to be false, state police announced.  The State Police is aware of swatting incidents that have occurred across the state, in which a caller states that there is an active shooter in a school. All of the reports are unfounded. We are working alongside our federal & local partners to investigate the threats. pi…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
'Swatting' Incident At Area Target Store Draws Officers From Multiple Departments 'Swatting' Incident At Area Target Store Draws Officers From Multiple Departments
'Swatting' Incident At Area Target Store Draws Officers From Multiple Departments Police were victims of a "swatting incident" after officers responded to a call from a man who was threatening to blow-up and harm patrons at a store in Rockland County. The incident happened around 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 10, when the Spring Valley Police Department received a phone call from a male in the Target Store at the Spring Valley Marketplace who stated he was armed, had multiple hostages, and placed explosives throughout the store, said Spring Valley Police Det. Matthew Galli. The Spring Valley Police Department immediately dispatched units to the location a…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
'It Was A Hoax': SWAT Teams, Helicopters Respond After 911 Call Of Shots Fired In Westchester 'It Was A Hoax': SWAT Teams, Helicopters Respond After 911 Call Of Shots Fired In Westchester
'It Was A Hoax': SWAT Teams, Helicopters Respond After 911 Call Of Shots Fired In Westchester A hoax "swatting" call to police regarding shots fired at an area home sent a massive law enforcement response including SWAT teams and helicopters. The incident took place in Westchester County around 5:52 p.m., Tuesday, May 19, when the village of Dobbs Ferry Police received a 911 call. "We had initially heard that someone could have been shot so the police had to treat this very seriously," Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said. "It was a hoax." The called told police there had been shots fired at a home on Myrtle Avenue, said Dobbs Ferry Police Chief Manuel Guevara. Members…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Investigation Leads To Arrest Of Teen On 73 Charges After Swatting Incident In Area Investigation Leads To Arrest Of Teen On 73 Charges After Swatting Incident In Area
Investigation Leads To Arrest Of Teen On 73 Charges After Swatting Incident In Area This story has been updated. A lengthy investigation into a swatting incident that occurred in the area last summer has led to the arrest of a 17-year-old in Ohio on 73 criminal charges, Putnam County Sheriff Robert L. Langley, Jr. announced. On the evening of Aug. 11, 2018, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a hostage situation at a house on Ressique Road in the Town of Kent. The caller alleged that he had an AR-15, had shot his wife and was now holding his son hostage.  Sheriff’s Deputies, Sheriff’s Investigators and members of the Emergency Response Team (…

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by Joe Lombardi