Crookston police reported Monday that a "swatting" had again been committed Sunday.
"Swatting" is a prank in which someone makes a 911 call falsely reporting a major crime, just to get police to respond to the address. It refers to SWAT, a common name for police special tactics teams.
"This prank has been occurring around the county," according to a news release from Detective Sgt. Aaron Pry.
At 4:46 p.m. Sunday, police received a report of a shooting at a certain address on Washington Avenue in Crookston. The caller said he or she had learned of the shooting from a 15-year-old boy.
Officers responded and found no shooting had happened and the family named in the 911 call had moved from the address. Responding to two other Crookston addresses after similar calls, police learned the boy had been made the victim of swatting prank.
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Swatting has gotten national attention in recent weeks, and has included celebrity victims in California and led to arrests in other states.
Crookston police said they are investigating the false reports to law enforcement, asking those with information to call (218) 281-3111.
