NORTHAMPTON — Police and emergency services responded Monday afternoon to the area of West Street and Belmont Avenue after a 911 caller claimed that a person was shot in the area.
But police later determined that the incident was a “swatting call,” a tactic to deceive dispatchers and trigger a police response to another person’s address.
After telling the dispatcher that someone had been shot, the person who called 911 then claimed to have a firearm and threatened to shoot anyone who entered the residence, according to police.
Northampton Police Lt. Victor Caputo said West Street and Belmont Avenue were closed until about 3 p.m. after the Northampton Police Department, Northampton Fire & Rescue, Massachusetts State Police and Smith College Public Safety arrived at an apartment building in response to the 911 call.
When police and emergency responders arrived at the location, it was determined that all the occupants were safe and that the residents were victims of a swatting call.
Caputo said the incident is under investigation. He said the individual who made the 911 call could face a felony charge of making a terror threat, which could result in a prison sentence.
“It increases if it’s determined to be an aggravated offense,” Caputo said.
Caputo said he believes this is the first swatting call that the Northampton Police Department has dealt with.
Chris Goudreau can be reached at cgoudreau@gazettenet.com.