(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Manitoba RCMP have arrested an 18-year-old man after law enforcement in the U.S. tracked two dangerous “swatting” incidents to an address in the province.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security requested help from the Manitoba RCMP on August 17, stating two such incidents occurred in North Carolina and another in Tennessee.
“Swatting” is the practice of making a phone call falsely describing a life-threatening situation in order to provoke an armed police response.
On separate dates, calls were received by 911 that a male was inside a school with a firearm and was going to start shooting. In both cases, the schools were placed on lockdown and a large number of police officers, including SWAT officers, attended.
The calls were later determined to be false.
Authorities in Tennessee determined the calls came from a number registered to a Manitoba residence. RCMP and the Winnipeg police further investigated and found the home was located on the Fisher River Cree Nation.
Officers executed a search warrant at the residence on August 30, seizing a number of electronic items.
An 18-year-old man was arrested and later released to appear in court on December 7 on Peguis First Nation.
Manitoba RCMP continue to investigate.
