The Hamilton Police Service says a 14-year-old from Ottawa has been charged with public mischief following multiple swatting incidents that occurred in Hamilton. Swatting is the act of making a false emergency call reporting a serious crime to generate a large-scale police response at a specific location. According to the police, officers responded to seven swatting incidents in Hamilton between December 2025 and January 2026. Police say the caller alleged serious criminal activity requiring immediate police response, including domestic violence, shootings and homicides. Investigations determined each call was fake. “These incidents are deliberate and malicious, designed to misuse emergency resources,” Hamilton police wrote in a news release. Police say they executed a warrant at the 14-year-old’s home in Ottawa and seized multiple electronic devices. The individual, who cannot be identified under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is scheduled to appear before court in February. Police ask anyone with information that could assist the investigation to call Sergeant Goran Zivkovic of the Division 20 Criminal Investigations Branch in Hamilton at 905-546-2406. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.crimestoppershamilton.com.
