A suspected swatting incident brought a flood of Los Angeles police officers into an Encino neighborhood Thursday evening, turning a quiet residential block into an active scene as multiple LAPD units converged on a single home.
Officers were dispatched after reports that a man at the property was armed, and they were seen checking an area near a backyard pool before clearing the scene. Witnesses said a green Lamborghini was parked in the driveway alongside a vehicle with a Creators Inc. logo.
According to ABC7, officers briefly searched the property after getting a call about a man with a gun, then moved calmly around the home before departing. The outlet reported that the residence appears to be tied to Creators Inc., a company that works with online creators, and described the situation as a developing story.
Why police take swatting seriously
Swatting, the practice of making a bogus emergency report to trigger an armed law enforcement response, is treated as far more than a prank. It can put both residents and officers in immediate danger and has already led to criminal cases across the country.
The Associated Press reported that a California teenager was sentenced to four years in prison after admitting to hundreds of swatting and threat calls that targeted schools, mosques and other institutions, a reminder that prosecutors have pursued these cases across state lines.
Other recent hoaxes in Los Angeles
The Encino scare lands in the middle of a string of high-profile false reports in the Los Angeles area this month. Earlier in April, a bomb threat at the Los Globos nightclub in Silver Lake forced an evacuation, according to Dexerto. That incident, like Thursday night’s call, showed how fast one false report can shut down an event and pull in a large police presence.
Authorities say the Encino call is under investigation, and detectives are expected to review call records and any possible digital trail. This story will be updated as law enforcement releases more information.
