Chris Brown, Kardashians Get 'Swatted': Reports
Chris Brown and the Kardashians got "swatted" over the holiday weekend, the latest additions to the growing list of celebrities who have been targeted by such pranks.
If the term "swatting" has not entered your vernacular, it's when someone prank-calls the police and tells them that some horrific crime is happening at someone's home. As a result, the police will send out its heavily armed SWAT team to respond to the reported crisis.
While swatting your next-door neighbor may not be all that fun, more and more pranksters have been swatting celebrities such as Ashton Kutcher, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Tom Cruise.
Here's what happened in the two latest swatting incidents:
Chris Brown
Yesterday evening, police received a call reporting domestic violence at Brown's Hollywood Hills home -- nothing too surprising, given Brown's history. Police stormed the home, and Brown ended up not even being there. Instead, several members of his staff were home, and police found no evidence of wrongdoing, reports the New York Daily News. There were no reported injuries or other damage.
The Kardashians
A few days earlier, another prankster called 911 to report a shooting at the Kardashian-Jenner home. According to a tweet sent by Kim Kardashian, 15 SWAT members and three helicopters responded to the scene. Kim's half-sister had a different take and took to Twitter to announce that only eight officers responded, but 10 cop cars were outside the home.
Remember, Swatting Is a Crime
This may all seem like fun and games when it's not your house getting "swatted," but remember that swatting is a crime. After all, swatters are in essence making a false report of a crime and are sending heavily armed authorities to the home of another. Should anyone get injured, the perpetrator of the swatting hoax would likely be held responsible. Fortunately, there have not been any reports of someone being injured or killed during a swatting prank.
Related Resources:
- Chris Brown's House Stormed by Cops Following Swatting Prank; Singer Spotted Getting Cozy With Rihanna at L.A. Club (E! News)
- Victim of 'Swatting'? Here's What to Do (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Can Prank Calls Get You Arrested? (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Kim Kardashian Pregnant With Kanye's Baby, But Still Not Divorced (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)