‘LIVES WERE PUT AT RISK’
Stoughton ‘swatting’ prankster sought
A Stoughton house was surrounded by SWAT officers, a state police helicopter, a law enforcement drone and armored trucks yesterday in what turned out to be a frightening “swatting” call federal authorities are helping to investigate.
“A number of lives were put at risk,” said Stoughton police chief Donna McNamara. “We put a lot of resources in this area to keep citizens safe, we locked down the school, until we could make it safe.”
Stoughton police Lt. John Bonney said federal authorities reached out to Stoughton to assist in tracking down the person who made the call as the events unfolded.
“There is an active investigation underway,” he said. “We don’t stop when the SWAT trucks leave.”
McNamara said officers received a phone call about 10:30 a.m. saying five men with machine guns had entered a house on Pearl Street. She said the caller also said a person was barricaded in the bathroom, hiding from the suspects.
At least a dozen SWAT officers encircled the home. Officers with rifles took positions behind one of three black, armored tactical vehicles that responded.
At one point officers deployed a camera drone to fly over the house to get a closer look while a state police helicopter hovered overhead. Cops from around the area flooded the scene.
Police stayed on the line with the caller as the first units were dispatched to the scene. However, when the call was disconnected and police called back, a different person answered. That woman lived at the home but was not there. She told police she believed her identity had been stolen and that she had received prank phone calls in the days leading up to yesterday.
McNamara said while they had no reason to doubt the woman, they were compelled to treat the call as though armed individuals could be inside the home.
About 12:45 p.m. officers in tactical gear approached the front door on foot, shielded by a small front-end loader painted black and outfitted with armored plating.
A few moments later they walked away, determining no one was in the house.
“As we continue the investigation we determined that this was a swatting call,” McNamara said. “Due to the dangers towards officers and residents we took appropriate action . ... The resident of this location potentially has had their identity stolen in the last couple days. That phone number was taken and suspects, who are unknown at this time, made a phone call with that number.”
The owner of the Pearl Street home, Paula McCarthy, said her husband went to the home to unlock the four apartments and tell police the layout of the units.
“It’s very frightening because you don’t know,” McCarthy said. “Thank God nothing really happened. I can’t imagine the money it cost to do what they did today to make sure people were safe.”
Bonney said between 30 and 40 officers responded, and the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council brought at least six pieces of tactical equipment to the scene.
“That sounds like a lot,” he said. “But everyone had something to do. No one was standing around.”
He said police don’t calculate the cost of deploying all that equipment and manpower to the scene.
“We’re talking about saving lives,” he said. “We don’t sit there with a calculator, adding it all up.”
McNamara said the investigation into who carried out the call will continue.
“Unfortunately it’s what we’re dealing with. We’re not the only community who has swatting calls,” McNamara said. “This is a danger to not only the residents. But the officers who responded.”