Celeb Swatting: LAPD Will No Longer Inform Media

By Miss Rosey

After a rash of swatting incidents aimed at celebrities, the Los Angeles Police Department has decided to stop issuing press releases as well as confirming if and when such pranks occur, the Los Angeles Times reports.

“It’s our belief that the perpetrators of these false police reports are motivated entirely by the publicity these calls receive,” Cmdr. Andrew Smith, who oversees the LAPD Media Relations Section, told the Times. “We intend to reduce or eliminate that motivation.’

Within the last few months, several famous faces have been targeted including Miley Cyrus, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, Russell Brand, Selena Gomez, Justin Timberlake and Ryan Seacrest, who became the latest celebrity swatting victim when his home was the subject of a prank phone call to police on Wednesday.

In that incident, authorities say “a caller reported that a group of armed men was trying to break into Mr. Ryan Seacrest’s residence.” According to a press release, “Upon arrival, officers made contact with private security at the residence and were told there was no trouble. Officers also contacted Mr. Seacrest and he also confirmed that everything was okay.”

A few of the pranks, like the one directed at Seacrest, took place in Beverly Hills. Police officials there are looking into possibly following in the LAPD’s footsteps when it comes to releasing swatting info to the media.