Dispatch notes show timeline of swatting call to Missouri Secretary of State’s house
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
First responders got a fake call from a blocked number claiming someone had shot a woman at Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft's house on Sunday night.
The incident -- now being investigated by law enforcement in Jefferson City as a swatting crime -- started at 8:55 p.m., according to documents obtained by ABC 17 News. Notes from the computer assisted dispatch lays out various calls made to the people involved, including to Ashcroft himself.
Swatting occurs when someone makes a prank call or message to draw a surprise emergency response to an address.
ABC 17 News spoke with Ashcroft the day after the call. Ashcroft said officers asked him to come out of his house with his hands up. He complimented the officers on how they handled the call.
The dispatch log shows that a Jefferson City dispatcher took a call at 8:55 p.m. from someone claiming they had killed their wife and were armed with an AR-15. The caller allegedly said they would kill themselves. A note one minute later shows the call came from a blocked number to the "admin line."
From 8:57-9:17 p.m., police and EMS prepared to respond to the call. One note identified the house as belonging to Ashcroft while Jefferson City police worked to get his cell phone number. A note at 9:17 p.m. shows that an officer called Ashcroft, who told them he was "fine." The officer instructed Ashcroft to step outside, which he did at 9:19 p.m.
The narrative ends at 9:22 p.m. saying that EMS could disregard the call.
Jefferson City Clerk Emily Donaldson said other reports or videos were closed because the investigation is still open. Jefferson City Police Department Lt. David Williams told ABC 17 News said he had no new details to release on Thursday.
The swatting call on Sunday prompted state Sen. Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) to propose a greater penalty for those found guilty of swatting. The current penalty is a class B misdemeanor.
ABC 17 News discovered that a package with methamphetamine sent to the Attorney General's Office caused the evacuation of the Supreme Court building in April. The Missouri State Capitol also received a fake bomb threat on Jan. 3, the first day of the legislative session.
