Suspected prank shooting report draws huge law enforcement response
According to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, investigators now believe a report of a man who allegedly barricaded himself inside a home after shooting two people was intentionally false and constituted a “swatting” incident.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An investigation is underway after a false shooting report activated a large law enforcement response to a home in Lafayette, Oregon on Wednesday morning.
According to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, investigators believe a report of a man who allegedly barricaded himself inside a home after shooting two people was intentionally false and constituted a “swatting” incident.
It all unfolded around 10:47 a.m. Wednesday when Lafayette City Hall staff received a call from a man who claimed he had shot two people, holed up in a home and was prepared “for a law enforcement response and would shoot responding deputies,” according to a release by Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office responded to the home in question, located at West 9th Street, with a deputy assigning subsequent law enforcement responders to set up a perimeter around the residence. County officials were also poised to send out a shelter-in-place notification to area residents, though that was later canceled once it was quickly discovered there was no threat at the home.
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office received backup from other law enforcement agencies, including the McMinnville Police Department, Oregon State Police, the Yamhill Police Department and the Newberg-Dundee Police Department. Together, the collaborating agencies successfully set up “a secure perimeter” around the home and got in touch with the person inside, a woman.
The woman told law enforcement there were no issues in the home, which was quickly confirmed when the residence was checked. The woman was also fully cooperative with law enforcement, officials said.
Investigators concluded the shooting incident was a false report and was likely a prank known as “swatting,” which is when a caller fraudulently incites a large law enforcement response to a certain address. The woman also told law enforcement that she’d recently been dealing with cyber-bullying and harassment.
Officials said they are working with Lafayette city staff to figure out the call's origin.
This is a developing story. KOIN 6 News will update this story once more information becomes available.