“Swatting” incident targets Morehead State and St. Claire HealthCare

Swatting is the practice of making a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to get a large number of armed police officers to a particular address

MOREHEAD, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a “swatting” incident that targeted Morehead State University and St. Claire HealthCare on Tuesday night.

Swatting is the practice of making a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to get a large number of armed police officers to a particular address.

Investigators say just before midnight, the sheriff’s office received a 911 call from someone claiming they had just shot and killed their entire family and gave the address of where it happened.  Deputies say they were skeptical of the call because the caller disguised their voice by digitizing it.

Despite the skepticism, deputies went to the address and say they found the homeowner was fine.  They say there had not been a shooting at that address.

Then overnight between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., the sheriff’s office says it received several reports of email messages sent to St. Claire HealthCare and Morehead State University with the same claim of a family being murdered; however, in the emails, the person also threatened to shoot people on the MSU campus and at St. Claire HealthCare and detonate an IED on campus, according to investigators.

Deputies say Rowan County Public School employees also received emails.

Investigators say law enforcement, Morehead State, St. Claire HealthCare and the public school system all took the reports and threats seriously and took the necessary precautions and kept everyone informed.

The investigation continues into who made the phone calls and sent the email messages.