La Crescenta Deputies Investigate Possible Swatting Call Saturday

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Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

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LA CRESCENTA - Two teens playing video games were briefly detained after exiting a home where someone reported a shooting Saturday night, but the call was likely a prank.

A caller stated he shot two people inside a home in the 4000 block of La Crescenta Avenue and he threatened to shoot his aunt around 8:52 p.m., according to Lt. Lopez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Crescenta Valley Station.

Deputies surrounded the home and, with the help of a helicopter, ordered the occupants to exit.

A 17 and 18-year-old exited the home and were briefly detained while deputies searched their home, but nothing was found, Lopez said.

Deputies quickly realized the teens may have been swatted.

Swatting is a phenomena where a prankster deceives emergency responders by reporting a false emergency, driving law enforcement to a targeted home.

The unknown caller phoned the prank to the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s business number and not through 9-1-1, making tracing of the call rather difficult, Lopez said.