Teen Charged With False Reporting Following Swatting Incident At Virginia Safeway: Police

An 18-year-old has been identified and charged as the person responsible for a reported swatting incident at a Loudoun County Safeway earlier this summer, police say.

Leesburg resident Caleb Wolfe, has been charged with false emergency communication to emergency personnel - a misdemeanor - stemming from a false report of an armed robbery in July.

At around 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 13, police say that the Leesburg Police Department Emergency Communications Center received a report of a robbery at the grocery store on South King Street involving two people armed with knives who armed a man.

The investigation into the incident determined that the call was a hoax, Wolfe was identified as the caller, and he was issued a summons to appear in court for the swatting situation, which drew the ire of Leesburg Police Chief Thea Pirnat.

"Filing a false report not only wastes valuable resources but also creates a significant safety issue by diverting emergency personnel away from where they are truly needed,” the chief said.

“This irresponsible behavior generates unnecessary fear and anxiety within our community and undermines the trust that we work hard to build with those we serve."

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