Alongside the Tama and Toledo police departments, the Tama County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a report of a swatting call believed to have originated from the video game Fortnite in Tama last Wednesday morning.

According to a press release from the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, the communications center took a call from an individual who said they were at an address in Tama claiming they had shot their sister, tied up their parents and intended to harm law enforcement at 9:33 a.m. The two local police departments and the sheriff’s office responded to the scene immediately, and after checking several homes and securing the area, they determined it was a swatting call, which is defined as a false emergency call designed to garner a large law enforcement response at a specific location.

Early indications tied the call to the aforementioned video game, and in the release, Sheriff Casey Schmidt noted a rise in swatting calls related to online gaming.

“While most people play these games responsibly, this is a good reminder for parents to keep an eye on what your kids are doing online, especially in games that involve chatting with strangers,” Schmidt said. “Swatting is not a joke. It puts innocent lives in danger, wastes valuable resources and takes law enforcement away from real emergencies.”

The sheriff added that if the individual who made the call is identified, they will be held accountable.

“We will work with every agency we need to, and if charges can be filed, they will be. We do not tolerate this kind of behavior in Tama County,” he said.

In addition to the already named law enforcement agencies and dispatch, Tama County EMS also responded to the incident. The investigation is ongoing.