Fake double murder, pipe bomb reports at Ga. home tied to swatting

HART, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Deputies with the Hart County Sheriff’s Office said they are investigating after multiple emergency calls were made over the weekend.

Deputies said that on Friday just before 10:00 p.m., they responded to a report that two people had been murdered at a home on Lavonia Highway. Upon arrival, deputies said they determined the report was fake.

According to officials, investigators learned that a child at the home had been playing an online video game when another player threatened to send the SWAT team to the child’s home after the child refused to follow the other player’s demands.

Deputies said that on Saturday just after 2 a.m., two additional calls were received reporting a pipe bomb at the same home. Deputies responded and again determined the bomb reports were fake.

The sheriff’s office said it received several more emergency calls related to this incident throughout Saturday. Deputies said these incidents appear to be a form of swatting, where someone makes false emergency reports to send law enforcement to another person’s home.

“Swatting is not a prank,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “These calls put innocent residents and responding deputies at risk while taking valuable resources away from legitimate emergencies.”

Deputies said they are working to identify those responsible. Criminal charges may follow.

The sheriff’s office encouraged parents to talk with their children about online gaming, threats from other players, and protecting their personal information.