'Swatting' prank call brings several police officers to Chelsea Home Depot
CHELSEA - Several police officers rushed to a Home Depot in Chelsea Thursday after the SWAT team was called as part of a prank.
People came out of the store at the Parkside Commons with their hands up while armed police surrounded the store.
Chelsea Police said someone called SWAT on a nearby dental office as part of a prank.
"A dental office in the Parkside Plaza was the focus of the apparent "swatting" call received earlier today," said Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes. "Unconfirmed reports exist that there may have been similar type calls in both Fall River & Somerville."
Swatting is a criminal harassment tactic of deceiving an emergency service into sending a police or emergency service response team to another person's address.
Nobody was hurt and no shots were fired.
Chelsea Police are now working with the FBI to try to find the caller.
