Flagler County Sheriff's Office investigates multiple 'swatting' calls

PALM COAST, Fla. - One scary call after another flooded the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday.

"Yeah, I’ve shot my mother in the head," one caller told dispatch.  

"My name is actually Jazzy and I’ve got a hostage right now, and I want $20,000 delivered to the house right now," someone said in another call.

Investigators say they got three fake calls.   

"These pranksters, if you will, are trying to get police to respond to a critical incident and show up with the SWAT team, rescue trucks and so forth," said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.

It’s called "swatting." It’s happening across Central Florida and the country.

Just last month, first responders in Volusia County surrounded a home in Deltona after someone claiming to be a teen told dispatchers that he shot his parents. Deputies showed up to find a confused homeowner.

"It’s a very dangerous prank," Staly said.

Not only does it put responders and the victim at risk, but it also takes away precious resources.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said on Sunday: "Deputies arrived at the scene of these emergencies and were able to quickly determine that it was a swatting call and there was no danger to the public."

"In this case, we identified at least one of the numbers as being commonly used in swatting calls," Staly said.

Officials say the culprit used the same spoofed number. Now, the search is on for the person on the other end of the line.

"If we can prove the case, I will assure you that we will arrest people for doing this," Staly said.