Swatting incident sends armed police rushing to homes in Ocean County
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ — A false report of a shooting triggered a heavy police response in Ocean County after authorities say the call turned out to be a swatting incident.
Police rushed to a home in the Holiday City section around 8 a.m. on March 20 after receiving a report of gunfire, injured victims, and a suspect possibly heading to another town.
Officers quickly entered the residence and secured the scene, only to find no victims and no evidence that any crime had occurred.
At the same time, investigators traced a related address in Forked River, prompting a response from Lacey Township police, who also found no issues.
Authorities later determined the call was likely a swatting incident — a false emergency report intended to trigger a large police response.
Police are now working to identify the source of the call.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Berkeley Township Police.
Key Points
- A false shooting report triggered a large police response in Berkeley Township
- Officers found no victims at multiple locations tied to the call
- Police say the incident appears to be a swatting case