Centre County woman victim of bizarre mental health harassment, swatting

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Many people have probably heard about “swatting” that involves a fake police report prompting a quick police response, but what about a fake suicide/homicide report?

That’s what happened to a 54-year-old woman in Centre County, state police report.

According to a release, troopers from the Rockview barracks received a call from Grassroots Crisis of Columbia, Maryland. The mental health wellness company said they were talking to the victim through their webchat service. Grassroots told troopers the woman was dealing with suicidal and homicidal thoughts.

After responding for a mental health check, police discovered the woman was fine and this was a fake report made to Grassroots. Police currently have no suspects, they said.

The bizarre attempt at swatting, or harassing, the woman comes just weeks after a massively alarming trend of fake reports and threats against schools not only across Pennsylvania but across America.

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These fake reports are not only alarming for parents and guardians, but also tie up police when they respond, investigate, and typically stick around the schools as an added presence out of an abundance of caution.

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