Family believes pranksters are targeting their Miami-Dade home with swatting calls

A Miami-Dade family is alleging they’ve been targeted by repeated “swatting” pranks, as police raided their home for the second time in response to a false emergency report. Iris and Irania Hernandez, who live in Southwest Miami-Dade, say officers arrived at their home Monday night with weapons drawn after receiving a call claiming a mother had been shot inside and that the gunman was still present on the property.

“They arrived, all pointing guns, and shouted for us to come out with our hands up,” Irania Hernandez told reporters, recalling the intense scene. This response, she believes, is due to a “swatting” incident—a dangerous prank where someone calls in a fake report to dispatch law enforcement to a targeted person’s location.

Swatting has gained notoriety over the years for its potentially fatal consequences, as it often leads to highly armed police responses. Irania Hernandez said the family felt terrorized by the raid, which left them shaken and fearful that it could happen again.

The family is hopeful law enforcement will be able to track down the person responsible and put an end to the dangerous hoaxes, which continue to disrupt their lives and endanger their safety.