Auburn police detail ‘Reaper’ swatting call that triggered airport threat response
Auburn police shut down activity at the city’s municipal airport Monday evening after a caller claimed he had hostages and bombs on site — a threat authorities later determined was a hoax.
Chris Sanschagrin, a patrol sergeant with the Auburn Police Department, said officers received a call around 5 p.m. from a man who identified himself as “Reaper.”
“He initially told our dispatcher that he had taken a few hostages at the Auburn Airport and was waiting for them in an airplane. Furthermore, he indicated he had bombs and a firearm,” he said.
Officers quickly identified inconsistencies in the caller’s story, including false claims about disabling airport surveillance and bypassing security that does not exist at the facility, Sanschagrin said. The caller also mispronounced Auburn.
“He changed other details of his story, initially indicating he was doing this on his own then later stating he had a crew of people,” he said.
Despite the red flags, police treated the threat as credible and moved to secure the airport and protect the surrounding Elders Corner and north Auburn community.
“We notified the FAA of the incident, so air traffic was stopped, notified our local law enforcement partners, and advised Airport personnel to lock themselves in their offices until we verified no threat existed,” he said.
Officers searched the airport and aircraft using an armored vehicle while additional resources remained on standby. The California Highway Patrol assisted in the response.
“Ultimately, our staff did not locate any evidence to suggest the threats were credible,” he said.
Investigators believe the suspect used a phone service that is difficult to trace, Sanschagrin said, and his identity remains unknown.
Sanschagrin said the incident appears to be a case of “swatting,” a tactic in which false emergency reports are made to trigger a large law enforcement response.
“Swatting is not only illegal under the California Penal Code, but it can be very dangerous,” he said. “These types of incidents draw vital law enforcement resources away from other legitimate calls for service and concentrate them in an area where no emergency exists. Additionally, this can delay law enforcement response to other legitimate emergency situations.”
Auburn City Manager Sean Rabé said the hoax diverted resources from real emergencies.
“It is unfortunate that the caller chose to create a situation where the Auburn Police Department was prevented from providing public safety to our residents,” he said.
