Call turns out to be a swatting incident

VW independent staff

A call of a murder-suicide at a home on German Church Road turned out to be a “swatting” incident.

Van Wert County Sheriff’s deputies were summoned to the scene in the 5700 block of German Church Road at 10:40 p.m. Saturday. There were no signs of victims and after contacting the property owners, who were not at home at the time, determined it to be a case of swatting.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, swatting is a phenomenon that involves a false report being made, via an incoming call. These hoax calls typically are received by a dispatch, or communication center, and are intended to generate a response by law enforcement and first responders. Swatting calls include, but are not limited to, reports of active shooters, bomb threats, or domestic incidents.

Swatting calls target public locations such as schools and retail stores, as well as private residences, etc. Often, swatters will use various technologies to hide their true identity and location.

Swatting is of concern as it can result in exhaustion of resources. Additionally, swatting calls can result in injury at targeted locations as responders may rush to get to the scene, or believe they are entering a violent situation.