Pranks should be fun, but when they lead to the police arriving at your doorstep, all the amusement fades away. Just ask Nicky Minaj, who has unfortunately experienced swatting pranks not just once or twice but an incredible three times within a mere span of less than eight months.
Last Saturday afternoon, as reported by TMZ, the renowned American rapper found herself startled by the sight and sound of the blaring lights and sirens of the San Fernando Valley Police Department’s county sheriff deputies. They had rushed to her residence in response to a 911 call alleging a shooting incident at her home. To their dismay, it turned out to be yet another instance of a prank call targeting Nicky Minaj. Needless to say, she was far from pleased with this third prank.
Two months back, a similar incident unfolded at her residence, triggered by an anonymous tip-off concerning a supposed child abuse case. Swiftly responding to the call, the authorities arrived at Nicky’s house, and upon investigation, they found no evidence to support the allegations. However, the vexing ordeal did not end there, as shortly after, a second false report was made, claiming that Nicky’s home was on fire. Fed up with these swatting pranks, Nicky took action and engaged her lawyers to track down the culprits behind these malicious calls and hold them accountable.
Unfortunately, Nicky is just one of the many people who’ve been targeted by swatting pranks. Swatting is used as a harassment tactic where first responders and emergency services are deceived into responding to a fake call at a particular target’s address. The call can include any sort of emergency, such as a shooting incident, hostage situation, or bomb threat, among many others. Due to the high risk of violence associated with the prank, swatting has been deemed a criminal offense in many places around the world.
In 2020, a tragic incident illustrated the dangers of swatting. Mark Herring, a 60-year-old man from Tennessee, fell victim to a fake prank call claiming a woman had been killed in his house. The stress from the swatting incident led to a heart attack, ultimately causing his death. The culprit’s motive was to blackmail Herring into giving up his Twitter handle, @tennessee.
Numerous innocent individuals, including well-known figures such as Tom Cruise, Ashton Kutcher, Clint Eastwood, Justin Timberlake, and Rihanna, have also fallen victim to swatting pranks.
Nicki Minaj, along with Snoop Dogg and 21 Savage, are coming to Call of Duty as playable characters.
