Stafford, VA. The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office responded to a suspected swatting incident last night after a male subject called the 911 Call Center demanding money for two hostages. The call was later determined to be a hoax.

On October 3, 2018, at approximately 6:05 p.m., multiple units responded to a residence on Burns Road after the Sheriff’s Office received a concerning 911 call. The caller claimed he had two hostages tied up and that every hour he did not receive $20,000.00, he would hurt them. The caller then disconnected and the 911 Call Center was unable to reach him again.

Sheriff’s Office personnel determined that the incident resembled a so-called “swatting” call. Swatting is when someone makes a prank 911 call with a false story of an ongoing crime, often involving hostages, to provoke a SWAT response or draw a large law enforcement presence to a particular address.

Out of an abundance of caution, Sheriff’s Office personnel treated the event as real. Multiple units, including two K9 units, responded to the scene and set up a perimeter around the residence. The homeowners quickly came to the door and cooperated with the law enforcement investigation.

The incident remains under investigation. The Sheriff’s Office will release updates as they become available.