Swatting definition
Swatting is a type of criminal harassment in which attackers try to trick the military into sending an armed force to the victim’s home or business. The term takes its name from SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), a highly trained police unit called in to respond to active shooter situations. The Los Angeles Police Department, in a press release regarding a particular attack that occurred in August 2020, offered this definition of swatting: “The term ‘swatting’ refers to a person making an emergency call for help, usually of some kind. causing a massive police response.”
The LAPD goes on to add that “the practice of ‘swimming’ is dangerous and puts the public and first responders at risk.” For some attackers, this is the joy and the purpose of stalking: to make victims fear for their lives as armed police raid their homes, often with little warning. Police often believe they are dealing with an armed and dangerous enemy, creating a tense situation that can lead to destruction of property, injuries and death.
How swatting works
Swatting follows a basic and simple pattern. The attackers make a call to a law enforcement agency in their victim’s area. They report that a heinous crime or imminent threat is occurring or will occur in the victim’s home; usually, they will want the hostage situation to be ongoing, and, to ensure that the responding law enforcement team is especially prepared for conflict, they may suggest that one of the hostages has been killed, or is about to be killed.
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