Police responded to a report of a shooting at Newport Beach, Calif.-based Hoag Hospital on the morning of Oct. 7, but determined there was no threat to the public, Los Angeles Times reported.
Officers were dispatched to the hospital shortly after 7 a.m. following a 911 call reporting a shooting, a Newport Beach Police Department spokesperson told the newspaper. When officers arrived, they found no evidence of a shooting, and hospital staff reported no emergency.
Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible “swatting” call — a false report intended to draw a large police response — according to the Times.
Becker’s reached out to Hoag Hospital and will update the story if more information is learned.
According to the Oct. 7 story, swatting incidents have become an increasing concern for law enforcement. In March, Loma Linda (Calif.)-based Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital was placed on lockdown after a false report of a planned mass shooting. The following day, police responded to a hoax report of a hostage situation at Claremont (Calif.) McKenna College.
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