What Is Swatting?

What Is Swatting?

Swatting is the act of calling 911 and faking an emergency that draws a response from law enforcement, according to the FBI. Swatting gets its name from the response of SWAT teams to the fake crime scenes.

When swatting, the people who fake emergencies send the responding teams to a particular home or place in order to cause chaos for those affected. The reason behind the swatting calls range from a simple prank to political unrest and scare tactics.

Related: Law Enforcement Speaks Out On Response To OU Swatting Call

How Is Swatting Dangerous And Costly?

Swatting is not a victimless crime. According to the FBI, swatting puts the residents at the address along with the first responders at risk. While officers are responding to the swatting call, they are taken away from real emergencies in the area.

These false reports have been deadly in the past. According to CNN, a man was killed in 2017 by police after a group of gamers claimed the man at the residence has shot and killed his father and was holding other family members hostage. The group of gamers were later convicted in connection to the swatting call.

Swatting is not only dangerous, the FBI says, it is also expensive. Each swatting call costs taxpayers thousands of dollars. Wikipedia estimates that swatting calls cost law enforcement an average of $10,000 per incident. 

“We'll deploy the bomb squad, our crisis response, and then other police specialty units to help assist. We estimate that every time a swat unit is deployed that's several thousand dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge, Sonia Garcia after a swatting incident at the University of Oklahoma in 2023.

What Is The Punishment For Swatting?

Swatting can be considered a federal crime and is generally a felony offense, but the exact charges depend on what the swatter claimed and how the incident played out.

If the caller claims something false, like a bomb threat or arson threat, they can be charged with “false information and hoaxes,” according to NOLO, a legal encyclopedia. Swatters can also be charged with stalking, internet threats, and even wire fraud due to the costly nature of SWAT responses, NOLO says.

States also have laws against swatting, but they differ from state to state.