No arrests have been made in an ongoing investigation in Leamington involving a fake emergency call for a domestic disturbance with weapons, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Details of the Incident
Officers with the Leamington detachment of the OPP responded on Tuesday around 2:30 p.m. to a residence on Talbot Road East after receiving a 911 report of a violent family dispute with weapons. The false emergency call, sometimes referred to as “swatting,” required several police units and other emergency resources to attend the scene.
Police Investigation and Findings
Following an investigation, police determined the information provided by a caller was false and there was no actual emergency. Police said swatting calls are “designed to draw a large police response to a location for what is being reported as an urgent situation.”
“The tactics used can escalate quickly, with the potential to cause severe emotional, physical, and psychological harm to the victims,” officials said. Fake emergency calls also divert critical emergency resources and cause unnecessary alarm and stress within the community.
Appeal for Information
Police continue to investigate and are asking anyone with information related to the investigation to contact the Essex County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous information can be provided to Windsor & Essex County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.catchcrooks.com.
