Two ‘swatting’ calls made to Montco emergency services on Tuesday evening
Two serious calls to Montgomery County’s emergency services Tuesday afternoon were later called off as “swatting” incidents, according to local police.
According to county dispatch, a male caller first reached out around 3:44 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 telling dispatch he’d “shot both of his wife and son in the head.” The incident was said to have taken place in the vicinity of the 1200 block of Country Club Road in Gladwyne, located in Lower Merion Township.
Superintendent of Police in Lower Merion said that the incident was not as the caller described.
“This appears to be a swatting incident,” said Superintendent Andrew J. Block. “Thankfully, there were no victims and this is a malicious call.”
Lower Merion Township Police said via telephone, immediately after the incident was called in, that they were investigating the matter and that no details were yet available to release. No roads are closed at the time, according to the department.
Volunteer Medical Services Corp. of Narberth was called to respond initially, but later was reported as “no longer needed” by first responders at the scene.
Around 4:52 p.m., also on Tuesday, March 3, another call came into Montgomery County Dispatch, this time for the report of a stabbing in Springfield Township (Montgomery County). This incident, said to have taken place in the 500 block of East Mill Road, also included a male on the line. He too said he “killed his wife and two sons.” In this second call, the caller also stated he was going to shoot himself.
The Community Ambulance Association of Ambler was called to the scene, but also recalled once police established the call was fake. Springfield Police did not immediately respond to requests for additional information.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “swatting” is a dangerous prank for all involved.
“Swatting is a malicious act that can involve placing false emergency calls to emergency responders, often reporting a (false) severe, ongoing crisis at a specific location,” said the department’s Personal Safety and Security handout on the matter. “The goal of swatting is to provoke a significant law enforcement response, creating chaos and potentially resulting in violence.”
Both addresses called into emergency dispatch were to homes in Montgomery County. It is unclear if the two calls were made by the same individual or different callers. The calls were, however, made only 68 minutes apart and had similar descriptions. No injuries were reported at either scene at this time. The matters continue to be under investigation.
The act of “swatting” is illegal, though it is unclear at this time if any charges have yet been filed regarding these two specific incidents. Main Line Now will stay on this developing story and publish additional information as it is made available.
