Duluth Police Respond To “Swatting” Call At Ship Canal

DULUTH, Minn. — What was supposed to be a life-saving call with emergency personnel at the scene, turned out to be a hoax.

Duluth police were unable to provide anyone for an on-camera interview Tuesday, but did respond to our questions via email. In the early morning hours Tuesday, they responded to a 911 call saying someone had jumped into the Ship Canal by the Lift Bridge.  But when they arrived, no one was there.

Emergency Dispatch was sent out just before 2 a.m. with reports of a male who was in the water. Officers gathered to search for the person who was reported to have jumped. Using a drone, boat and officers on foot, they did not locate anyone.

First responders later concluded this was a swatting incident. Swatting is the practice of making prank call to 911 to report a fake emergency.

The FBI’s Criminal Justice Division says swatting is on the rise, with more than 1,000 incidents in 2019. They note that swatting is a waste time and resources, taking first responders away from actual emergencies.