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It was a hoax.
Police entered the Berdan Avenue home near the Point View Reservoir after getting the call shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday, Apr 17.
There was no emergency and “all family members were safe,” the department said in an alert.
Swatting incidents peaked nationwide about five or six years ago before subsiding somewhat. They’ve increased significantly over the past year or so.
Swatting exacts a toll on innocent residents, which is usually the intent. Often public figures and celebrities are the targets. Sometimes it's simply an effort to tie up law enforcement, authorities say.
Deploying SWAT teams and additional personnel to unsuspecting victims’ homes and businesses -- as well as to schools that end up being locked down -- can put people in danger, they note. It also diverts resources from potential areas of immediate need.
Many of the culprits call from out of state -- and sometimes even out of the country. They use programs that make it seem that the calls are coming from inside a particular house, school or other location.
Wayne detectives are investigating.
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