A call that came into Bartow 911 as murder may have been a swatting incident. Swatting is defined as a form of harassment that uses prank calls to send police SWAT teams into victims’ homes. Back on March 16th, WBHF reported that more than ten emergency vehicles responded to Windemere Court in the Planters. Bartow 911 received a call at 5 p.m. from a caller stating that he had shot and killed his mother at 18 Windemere Court. Vehicles from the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Bartow Fire and Emergency Services, and the ambulance service responded to the residence.
The residence was cleared; deputies and investigators began searching for the deceased. According to the report, the occupants of the home were unaware of the call to 911. An unnamed person said he was sleeping and did not call 911. He said he often played video games and someone could have gotten his address and called 911. He said his IP address had been hacked due to clinking on a link from a fellow gamer.
The emergency number used to make the call did not match the cell numbers of anyone at the home.
While there were no arrests, the offenses on the report include terroristic threats and acts, false report of a crime, and unlawful conduct during a 911 call. The report states that the case will remain active for criminal investigations.