Swatting hoax targets Parkland #NeverAgain activists

They’re bogus 911 calls with real consequences— and public figures or celebrities are often the victims.

This week, 18-year-old activist David Hogg in Parkland and fellow #NeverAgain student leader Cameron Kasky in West Delray were targeted by swatting calls, according to authorities in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Named after the response by police SWAT squads who respond to the calls, false 911 callers often describe emergencies involving barricaded gunmen or hostages in an attempt to draw heavily-armed officers. These fake 911 callers often spoof a victim’s phone, making it appear as though the victim is placing the emergency call.

According to the FBI, which has issued warnings about swatting since 2008, there are about 400 swatting calls across the nation annually.

And the consequences can be deadly. In December, an unsuspecting Wichita man was killed by police who came to his home to investigate a supposed murder and a gunman holding victims at gunpoint. Authorities were called out to the home of 28-year-old Andrew Finch after a dispute between online gamers that prompted the fake 911 call to his address. The prankster gave police a wrong address where Finch lived that was unrelated to the gamers’ intended swatting target.

The bogus 911 caller was apprehended and now faces manslaughter charges.

After Finch’s death, U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., in March introduced a federal bill that would increase punishment for people caught swatting — a prison sentence of up to 20 years if someone is seriously hurt and up to life in prison if someone is killed.

In Parkland, there was no one at the Hogg home when deputies responded Tuesday morning. A 911 caller claimed he was armed inside the home with multiple weapons and had hurt people, Broward Sheriff’s spokeswoman Gina Carter said. The caller did not say David Hogg was among the supposed victims.

Similarly, in West Delray, authorities responded to the home of Jeffrey Kasky, father of #NeverAgain founder Cameron Kasky, who lives there part-time. Neither was home