Red Wing PD says swatting calls connected to extremist organization

Red Wing police say two swatting calls this month in the city have been tied to an international extremist group that preys on children and teens.

The Red Wing Police Department announced on Friday it had responded to two separate calls on Oct. 14 and Oct. 16 reporting shooting victims at an address on the 1300 block of East Avenue. It’s unclear exactly which home was targeted in the residential neighborhood.

Police say both calls were quickly deemed swatting incidents. A “swatting” is a false 911 call intended to provoke a heavy, armed police response.

Red Wing police say their investigation into the calls uncovered “ties to an organized cybercrime network that targets children and teenagers through extortion and acts of violence.”

Read more: KMSP