REXBURG It turned out that Friday’s massive police response in a Rexburg neighborhood was a prank.
According to a news release from the Rexburg Police Department, several officers were dispatched to the Henderson subdivision’s Park Street neighborhood on Friday for what was initially thought to be a hostage scenario.
Detectives concluded it was a phony swatting call after conducting an investigation.
According to the department, there is no threat to the public and the location is safe.
According to 911.gov,Falsely reporting an emergency in order to induce a SWAT team to respond to a place when there isn’t one is known as “swatting.” The caller frequently claims to be a witness or participant in a hostage scenario, active shooter, or house invasion. Getting the biggest response possible is the aim.
According to the organization, the law enforcement response is frequently significant, with officers confronting the unwary victims at gunpoint only to discover that there isn’t a true emergency.
Those who make these calls are frequently angry with someone else or simply find it amusing to play a practical joke on the police and get a big response at someone’s house, Assistant Police Chief Gary Hagen tells EastIdahoNews.com.
According to Hagen, there have been shootings and fatalities involving officers nationwide as a result of these types of calls. It’s really risky to do that.
As of Saturday afternoon, the individual who made the fraudulent claim has not been identified, and the investigation into Friday’s response is still ongoing.
Calls like these can be made through gaming systems and other devices, so it’s very difficult to figure out who’s doing these kinds of things, Hagen says.
This is the first time in years that a swatting call has occurred. Hagen stated that he does not want to see a rise in these calls, thus he is hesitant to attract attention to it too much. There may be repercussions if police are diverted from an actual emergency.
Anti-swatting legislation is currently being developed, despite the fact that the state already has a law prohibiting false reporting of bombs or explosives.Senate Bill 1343 seeks to classify it as a criminal offense, punishable by up to $5,000 and a year in prison.
According to a January 2025 article by Idaho Reports, the offense would be considered a felony carrying a maximum penalty of $25,000 in fines and five years in prison if the false report results in more than $1,000 in damages, serious physical harm, or disability to an individual, or ten years in prison if the false report results in the death of any person.
