DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. — A DeKalb County man has been charged with swatting after allegedly making a false 911 call that prompted a law enforcement response, according to court records obtained by News 19.
Court records state that Stephen Michael Horton, 51, called 911 on December 19 and reported that his brother was holding a woman against her will. Horton allegedly told dispatchers the woman was tied up and gagged and that a murder was taking place.
Deputies responded to the reported incident but later determined that the call was fabricated and that no crime had occurred, records show.
Horton was charged with swatting, which is a Class C felony under Alabama law. He is currently being held in the DeKalb County Jail on a $300 bond.
Swatting involves making a false report to emergency services in an effort to provoke a large law enforcement response and can carry serious legal consequences due to the potential danger it poses to both officers and the public.
