No Violent Crime In Backcountry, Greenwich PD Says It Appears To Be 'Swatting'

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Police Department on Sunday night pushed back against rumors circulating on social media about a possible violent robbery in the Backcountry, saying it appears to be an incident of "swatting."

"It has come to our attention that inaccurate and false information has been circulating on social media regarding a violent robbery that allegedly took place at or near the Audubon Center recently. We want to assure you that this information is FALSE and no such incident has been reported or confirmed," Greenwich Deputy Police Chief Mark Zuccerella said in an email.

Police also posted information on Facebook to inform the public.

Zuccerella said that the Greenwich Dispatch Center has not received any related calls or reports about an incident in the Backcountry.

"This appears to be a swatting incident with the intent to disrupt public safety operations," Zuccerella said.

Swatting involves people making fraudulent 911 calls, reports or claims on serious-level criminal threats or violent situations to draw a response from law enforcement. The FBI has created a national task force to keep track of and prevent swatting incidents from happening.

"We request everyone to refrain from spreading this unverified rumor and there is no need to call the Dispatch Center for information as this incident is false," Zuccerella added. "Dissemination of false information causes unnecessary panic and harm to a community. Let's rely on our reliable sources and official channels to stay informed."