VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Law enforcement officials in Virginia Beach are warning the public about an increase in “swatting,” a dangerous hoax that triggers a large-scale police response to a fake emergency.
“Swatting is a deliberate, dangerous hoax to create a large police presence,” said Virginia Beach Master Police Officer John Hlebinsky. “It could be a shooting. It could be a stabbing. It could be a bomb threat. It’s borderline terrorism.”
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