GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Police are warning the public about some recent swatting incidents.
That entails calling 9-1-1 to falsely report a serious crime at a specific address. It ties up police and causes confusion and concern near the reported location and leads to misinformation being spread online.
A local hotel and a restaurant were victims of swatting recently.
Captain P.J. Baker with the GRPD told WOOD Radio that businesses should take any threats seriously, and to call police - and expect a large response.
"But very quickly, the officers will start communicating with staff, and we'll start getting a better idea of what, if anything, we're dealing with there," he said.
The GRPD says it does not know yet whether the recent swatting calls to the restaurant and hotel were made by the same suspect(s). But it can sometimes lead to copycat activity.
Here is more information from the GRPD news release:
BUSINESSES: For the safety of everyone, these calls should be taken seriously until proven to be false. The staff at the downtown Holiday Inn, one of the recent victims, did a very good job of communicating factual information to first responders and to their guests/customers in a timely manner to calm fears and return to business as usual shortly after the call was proven to be false. This is an opportunity for local businesses to review (or prepare) their emergency response plans, including how to respond if a false report is made.
COMMUNITY: If you hear about a critical incident happening in our community, check reliable sources, like our local news outlets, and, depending on the situation, the City’s emergency alert system. (Sign up for the Grand Rapids emergency alert system here.) Don’t spread unsubstantiated rumors, especially those that could cause panic and/or lead to unsafe behavior.
Anyone with information on these recent swatting calls is asked to contact the Grand Rapids Police Department or Silent Observer. Detectives can be reached at (616) 456-3380 or tips can be sent anonymously through Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345/ www.silentobserver.org.
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