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Attorney General Dana Nessel (file photo)
On Sunday, someone identifying themselves as "Aiden the Reaper” called police in Marine City in St. Clair County to say he had three people bound and held at gunpoint with an AR-15 at a professional building in the 400 block of South Water Street. The person demanded a $50,000 ransom, threatened the lives of hostages, and later falsely claimed they had shot multiple victims.
Police responded en masse, only to discover it was a bogus call known as "swatting"—a prank in which a caller phones in a false emergency to trigger a large police response to a specific address.
Now Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning people of the seriousness of the prank.
“Swatting is not harmless,” Nessel said in a statement. “It is a serious crime that can lead to dangerous situations and divert law enforcement away from someone facing an actual emergency. What callers may believe to be a ‘joke’ actually risks the public safety of our communities and can carry lifelong consequences for those responsible.”
In a press release, she warns potential charges for Swatting:
- Communicating a threat of terrorism, a 20-year felony.
- Calling in a bomb threat, a 4-year felony.
- Malicious use of a telecommunications device, a 6-month misdemeanor.
Swatting could also result in the following charges:
- False report of a crime, a 93-day misdemeanor.
- False report resulting in physical injury, a 5-year felony.
- False report resulting in a serious bodily impairment, a 10-year felony; and/or
- False report resulting in a death, a 15-year felony.
- In addition to serving time in jail or prison, those who are found guilty of these crimes can face fines of up to $20,000.00. Residents who receive or know of a threat of violence against their community should contact their local law enforcement.
