On February 1st, 2023, at 1:36pm the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) Communications Unit received a telephone call indicating a shooting had just occurred at a residential address on Linwell Road between Ontario Street and Lakeport Road, in the City of St. Catharines.
Information provided was that an individual had been shot multiple times and the suspect was still on-scene. Uniformed officers assigned to 1 District (St. Catharines / Thorold) responded along the Emergency Task Unit, Canine, and Crisis Negotiators. Niagara Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) paramedics also attended the scene, given the reported injuries.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with the individual inside the residence and quickly concluded no shooting occurred. This has been determined to have been a SWATTING incident and remains under investigation by detectives assigned to our 1 District Criminal Investigative Branch who are being supported by detectives assigned to our Cybercrime Unit.
SWATTING is a deliberate and malicious criminal act that adds unnecessary risk to both our community members and first responders. For those unfamiliar with SWATTING, the objective is to direct substantial emergency services resources upon an unsuspecting community member by dialing 911 and reporting an extreme act of violence.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the lead detective by dialing 905-688-4111, option 3, 1009495.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.
Incident #23-10960