Crime & Safety
Fake 911 Caller Targets Instagram CEO's Brother, Report Says
A prankster faked a 911 call about a shooting, sending cops to the home of a social media executive's relative, according to a report.
WEST VILLAGE, NY — A prank 911 call about a fake shooting Sunday morning sent cops to the West Village home of the Instagram CEO's brother, according to a report.
The prank 911 caller said he had shot his wife in the chest and leg during an argument, which sent cops to the condo of Instagram executive Adam Mosseri's brother, the New York Daily News reported.
Police soon found the call to be unfounded after cops swarmed the apartment on Weehawken Street near 10th Street.
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The hoaxes are known as "swatting" calls, aimed at sparking a SWAT-style police response, according to the News.
The attacks have spurred increased security personnel for executives of major social media companies like Facebook. One swatting call over an argument between video gamers led to an officer fatally shooting a man uninvolved with the argument back in 2017.
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