Prank call sparks armed RCMP response

KAMLOOPS – RCMP got a phone call from a man Friday night claiming he shot someone in a condo in the Upper Sahali neighbourhood and would shoot any officer who responded.

At around 7:20 p.m., RCMP say they responded “tactically” and cordoned off the McKinley Terraces condo complex.

Police also evacuated the surrounding units at 1775 McKinley Ct. near Gleneagles Drive.

Eventually the officers realized they were dealing with a prank called “swatting.”

According to Wikipedia, swatting is tricking a 911 dispatcher into sending an Emergency Response Team or SWAT unit based on a false report of an on-going critical incident like a shooting or a bomb threat.

RCMP say the call was treated as real until proven otherwise because of the serious nature of the threat.

No arrests have been made as the police continue to investigate.

“Police on scene would like to thank all residents for their patience and cooperation while the area was safely cleared,” Staff Sgt. S. Chauhan says in a media release.

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To contact the reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.