Possible 'swatting' call results in massive police response in Surrey

Police are investigating afalse report of shots firedin South Surrey, B.C. thatforced a precautionary lockdown of two nearby schools and a public building on Wednesday.

Officials say anunidentified callercontacted 911around noonto report a domestic assault involvinggunfireat a home onthe 14600-block of15A Avenue in South Surrey.

Lockdown measures were initiated at nearby H.T. Thrift Elementary, Semiahmoo Senior Secondary, and the South Surrey Indoor Pool as dozens of police officers including the Integrated Emergency Response Team and Police Dog Services responded to the scene.

Upon arrival, they say, they found alonefemale who was "distraught" and "shocked" to see police gathering outside her house.

"What we discovered was this was a fictitiousprank call and our officers are investigating the origins of that call at this time,"said SurreyRCMPInsp. KeithBramhill.

"It's safe to say that the community is safe and there is no imminent danger whatsoever to the public."

When asked whether this was a "swatting" call so called because it is intended call outSWAT teams or similar under false pretences Bramhill said he wouldn't labelit that way but others might.

"What we're saying is it's anunsubstantiatedcall for service and, when investigated properly, it's really apublic mischief," he told CBC News.

Bramhill says police are now looking for the caller, and anyone else with information about the incident.

"Our investigators will look at the origins of the call ... and track the call and the origins of the phone and where it came from and so forth."

'Swatting' sweeps North America

"Swatting" has become a popular prank in recent years.

Police across North America have been tricked into dispatchingemergency response andSWAT teams to unsuspecting locations after receiving fake reports of crimes or threats.

Last December, a17-year-old Coquitlam, B.C. boy was arrested after he allegedly phonedpolice inFlorida andthreatened to "shoot everyone" at a local high school. He is also accused ofphoning in a fake bomb threat and falsely reporting a homicide.

• 'Swatting' hoax shooting threatspromptarrest of B.C. teen

In 2011, police surrounded the home of an unsuspectingLangley, B.C. family after someone reported that several people inside had been murdered and others were being held hostage.

Police later said the call appeared to have come from cell phone inCalifornia.

• Hacker's swatting attack calls police to Langley home

Officials say "swatting" constitutes public mischief and can result in a sentence of up to fiveyears in prison or a fine of up to $5,000.