Worthington police issue alert about 'swatting calls'

The Worthington Police Department is warning about an increase in what are known as "swatting calls."

The WPD says the number of these calls has dramatically increased across the nation over the last couple of months, and Worthington has not been exempt from this. Swatting is a crime where someone makes a false call to another person's address to get a response from the local SWAT team.

Typical callers will often claim they have shot or killed someone, or they are holding someone hostage. While most of these calls nationwide have targeted people based on their political views, some — like the one that occurred recently in Worthington — don't appear to have the same motive.

Regardless of the reason behind the call, swatting is illegal and will be actively investigated by the Worthington Police Department. Anyone who has information about the Worthington swatting event should contact the WPD at (507) 295-5400 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS. You may remain anonymous.