Little Elm police investigate swatting call Saturday

The Little Elm police department said it is investigating who placed a 911 call that ended up being "a deliberate act of swatting."

The police department posted on social media that at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to Winterberry Lane after someone called 911 and claimed they shot a family member and threatened to harm others before hanging up.

Officers established a perimeter and made sure everyone inside was safe, then determined it was "a false report and a deliberate act of swatting," the department said.

“Swatting involves people making fraudulent 911 calls reporting serious-level criminal threats or violent situations like bomb threats, hostages, killing, etc. to fool the police into raiding the house or business of somebody who is not actually committing a crime,” Security expert Lauren R. Shapiro once explained.

In 2023, the FBI formed a national database to track and prevent swatting.

Little Elm police warned that the calls are dangerous and tie up emergency resources.

"Swatting is not a prank. It’s the act of making a false report of a serious emergency to provoke an emergency response. Under Texas law, Swatting is a Class A misdemeanor punishable up to 1 year in jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000," the department wrote on Facebook.