YARMOUTH – Yarmouth Police report that their dispatchers received a call just before 10 PM,. from a caller reporting his father had just shot his mother. The caller was whispering on the phone and said he was downstairs in the house. As the dispatcher was obtaining more information from the caller, the phone line disconnected.
Multiple police units were dispatched to the address the caller provided. As they arrived, they observed the house to be vacant and in complete darkness. Officers spoke with neighbors and the homeowner, who said there was nobody currently staying at the house. Dispatchers continued to try and call the number back; however, the phone was now disconnected and no longer in service. At the conclusion of the call, officers determined this was an instance of ‘swatting’ or a prank call that makes it appear an emergency is coming from an actual address.
Swatting is a dangerous form of harassment that sends first responders to an address due to false reporting. When this happens, the community is put at risk since many resources are directed to one location. If an actual emergency were to occur, the response could be delayed or directed to mutual aid, bringing potentially dangerous outcomes to those situations. In this incident, officers and residents were fortunate the residence was vacant.
The Yarmouth Police Department commends the actions of the officers responding to this incident. Calls like this are another example of the dangers officers face daily. The successful outcome for this call was a direct result of the professionalism and dedication of the men and women of Yarmouth Police Department and their mission to keep our community safe
