SWFL agencies on alert after multiple swatting hoax calls

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)— A series of recent swatting calls across Southwest Florida is putting law enforcement on high alert.

In the last two weeks, agencies in Cape Coral and Charlotte County have responded to multiple reports that turned out to be hoaxes. One incident in Cape Coral this past weekend brought a large police and SWAT response to a neighborhood.

Law enforcement says swatting calls are false reports designed to trigger a major emergency response. Experts say while many cases across the country target celebrities or politicians, these recent local incidents may be the work of someone looking for attention or entertainment.

The calls can have serious consequences, pulling officers away from real emergencies and creating dangerous situations for both law enforcement and the public.

Security analyst Richard Kolko explained the ripple effects of these hoax calls.

"If there's another real call from somewhere else in the local area, the law enforcement is not there to respond," Kolko said. "That goes the same for the fire department, the ambulances, so there's just a cascading effect from one single swatting call. So anybody is doing this, making a big mistake, putting a lot of people at risk, and just the wrong thing to do. And if law enforcement catches you, you can face serious charges."

Authorities are continuing to investigate the recent incidents and warn those responsible could face serious criminal charges if caught.