Elk Grove ‘swatting’ calls send officers to an empty house, police said

The Elk Grove Police Department is investigating a “swatting” incident that drew police presence after shortly after midnight.

A caller from outside the state told dispatchers they shot someone with a firearm inside a residence in the 8900 block of Laureles Court, police said. Officers were dispatched to the scene at about 12:30 a.m., police said in a social media post.

The unidentified person called again while officers were en route and claimed to be on the verge of shooting another person, police said. But once they arrived, the police learned there was no one inside the house.

Often intended as a prank, swatting incidents have become more common in recent years. Caller relay false but often dire circumstances to first responders, prompting a significant police presence or even a SWAT team. But the details of the cases are seldom true.

Elk Grove officials said they plan to investigate the latest incident and that the caller put the lives of the citizens and officers in danger. A similar incident happened in Sacramento in October.