MADISON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WSYX) — Authorities are investigating a potential swatting call that led to the fatal shooting of a family dog by law enforcement.
The incident began Monday morning when a caller reported a shooting on South Hamilton Road, calling a city non-emergency number, claiming, “My mom just got shot by my dad.”
Madison Township police, Obetz police, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office responded swiftly, only to find no one injured.
Investigators now believe the call was a hoax, commonly known as a swatting call.
“It’s pretty disturbing,” said Dave Hatter, a cybersecurity analyst with Intrust IT in Cincinnati.
Swatting calls can have a devasting impact
Hatter reviewed the call for ABC 6, saying, “I think if you get that call as a dispatcher, you are going to act on it,” adding that the caller “sounded very realistic, caller sounded distraught.”
Hatter explained that new technology, such as AI, makes it easy to disguise voices and phone numbers.
“Can I disguise my voice, absolutely, ” Hatter said, “Can i disguise my phone number, absolutely.”
“You can read one sentence and in less than 15 minutes you will have a perfect clone of your voice,” he said.
However, Hatter. pointed out potential red flags, saying, “If I were in a real-life situation, I would not be calling a non-emergency number; I would be dialing 911.”
At the home on South Hamilton Road, two German Shepherds were shot by officers after the dogs reportedly lunged at them when they entered the house. One of the dogs, named Zoey, was killed.
“The guy who made the call is absolutely responsible for my dog’s death,” said Dave Coleman, a resident of the home. “I think they should go to jail.”
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.
Expert: Swatting call targets are rarely random
Hatter says it’s rare for someone to be randomly targeted by a swatting call. He says swatting victims are often targeted due to conflicts in the gaming world or on social media.
As the family who lives in the home waits to learn why they were targeted, they are raising money online for medical expenses for their other dog, Bear, who was shot three times.
A newly passed law in Ohio that focuses on swatting calls now makes it a felony for anyone who reports false or misleading information to law enforcement.
“Until a whole bunch of people get caught and go to jail, I don’t see how this stops,” said Hatter.
