A group of three young men have been exposed in Britain, accused of carrying out a large-scale “swatting” campaign — fake shooting calls to emergency services in the US and Canada. Over two years, they created fictional emergencies to provoke armed police intervention, including against influential bloggers.
British police have charged three men: 22-year-old Liam White from Somerset, and two 18-year-olds — Dylan Ash and Kieron Ellison from Cheshire and Merseyside. During 2022-2024, they, according to the investigation, made dozens of false calls like “active shooter” — reports of shootings that immediately activate special police units.
Their actions not only caused a large-scale mobilization of law enforcement officers, but also put people’s lives at risk due to a possible escalation of the conflict. In particular, the group operated through an online chat room where they discussed the planning of each attack, using methods of number spoofing and fake accounts to make it seem like the call was coming from the victim himself.
The phenomenon of swatting originated in the United States, but over time it spread to other countries. This is a deliberate message about a fake crisis situation (shooting, bomb, etc.) in order to call emergency services to residential buildings, offices or schools. The victims are usually public figures, streamers, influential bloggers, but anyone can become a target. The FBI emphasizes that these actions can have deadly consequences, as the police arrive ready to use weapons. That is why such calls are perceived as a serious crime related to obstruction of justice.
This case has become yet another confirmation of how real and dangerous digital threats can be. The fake call is not a joke, but an attempt to destabilize society and endanger the lives of innocent people. While the case is in court, the defendants remain on bail with a ban on using social media. The hearing will continue on May 29.
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