Regina police warn of ‘swatting’ dangers after youth charged

A 14-year-old boy faces a public mischief charge after a false report in September led Regina police to deploy tactical units.

The Regina Police Service (RPS) is warning the public about the dangers of “swatting” - a growing trend involving false emergency calls - after a recent investigation led to a youth being charged.

Police say they received a report shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 about a firearms-related incident at a home in the city’s southwest. The caller claimed a woman had been injured and that a suspect and another person were still inside the residence.

Due to the nature of the call for service, several members of the RPS Tactical Support Unit were dispatched to the address. Officers forcibly entered the home where a woman sustained minor injuries. After the search, policed found two residents who did not match the description in the report and determined there was no visible threat.

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A 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is charged with public mischief and is scheduled to appear in Regina Provincial Youth Court on Dec. 18.

Acting Chief Lorilee Davies said the incident highlights the serious risks associated with swatting.

“This is not a harmless prank,” Davies said in a news release from RPS. “False reports to police not only put the public and officers at risk of injury, or worse, but it takes our officers away from dealing with real crime and community safety concerns.”

Davies added this is the first known swatting incident in Regina.

“These are real people and real victims being put into high-risk, frightening situations through no fault of their own,” she said. “It’s not acceptable.”