Boy admits 'swatting' Ashton Kutcher, Justin Bieber
By Alan Duke
updated 11:23 AM EDT, Tue March 12, 2013
Comedian Russell Brand's Hollywood home is reportedly the latest target of celebrity "swatting," in which false 911 calls are made reporting incidents at celebrities' homes. Los Angeles police went to Brand's home at 3:35 p.m. on Monday, April 8, in response to a call about an armed man being at his residence, but determined it was a "fraudulent call." The officer who responded said she didn't know if Brand was home at the time.
On April 4, Rihanna's Pacific Palisades residence was reportedly implicated in another celebrity "swatting" incident. According to the Los Angeles Times, a caller told law enforcement officials that someone had been shot inside her home. Officials quickly figured out that the call was another hoax.
Police visited Chris Brown's Hollywood Hills home on Monday after a call about an alleged domestic violence incident. Brown wasn't home, according to KTLA.
The Kardashian household was targeted on January 18. "Just got a call from my mom telling me about this prank call that someone was shot in their home & 15 swat team & 3 helicopters showed up!" Kim Kardashian tweeted. "These prank calls are NOT funny! People can get arrested for this! I hope they find out who is behind this. Its dangerous & not a joke!"
On January 17, police visited Tom Cruise's home after receiving a call that an armed robbery was in progress, according to a Beverly Hills Police Department press release. Like Brown, Cruise was not home when the police arrived.
The Los Angeles Times reported in December that Charlie Sheen's home was among the celebrity residences "swatted" in recent months.
In October, Justin Bieber reportedly fell victim to a celebrity "swatting" prank. After searching his home, police determined that the call was a hoax.
Days earlier, police were notified of an alleged home invasion robbery at Ashton Kutcher's house via a teletext message rather than a 911 call, according to TMZ. Kutcher later tweeted, "Safe an sound at two and a half men."
TMZ reported that Miley Cyrus' house was swarmed in August after police received a call about a possible home invasion. Of course, it turned out to be another false alarm.
Victims of celebrity 'swatting'
Rihanna
Chris Brown
Kim Kardashian
Tom Cruise
Charlie Sheen
Justin Bieber
Ashton Kutcher
Miley Cyrus
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Police rushed to Ashton Kutcher's home in response to fake 911 call
- A 12-year-old will be sentenced by a juvenile judge in his home county
- "Swatting" is extremely dangerous, police say
Los Angeles (CNN) -- A 12-year-old Southern California boy admitted he made a fake emergency call that sent police to Ashton Kutcher's Hollywood home last year.
The juvenile's "swattting" also targeted Justin Bieber's Calabasas, California, home and a bank, the Los Angeles County district attorney's spokeswoman said.
Dozens of emergency personnel rushed to Kutcher's home on October 3, 2012, only to find workers inside and no emergency, police said. Kutcher, who was on the set of his TV sitcom "Two and a Half Men," also rushed to his home.
"The comments of the call advised that there were individuals inside the location with guns and explosives, and that several people had been shot," a police statement said.
2012: New prank could be deadly
The boy, who is being prosecuted as a juvenile and not identified, will be sentenced by a juvenile judge in his home county, according to the spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney.
"Swatting" usually is done by computer hackers, who use online skills to make a false report of a serious crime in progress, police said. "The swatting practice is extremely dangerous and places first responders and citizens in harm's way," police said.