Billings police officers were called to what they quickly determined was a "swatting call" in the Ironwood subdivision Tuesday afternoon.
The call was that a person had been stabbed and was actively bleeding to death on the 6200 block of Ironwood Drive, according to a release from Billings Police Sgt. Jeff Stovall.
Stovall said in the release that command staff and responders evaluated the information provided, recognized the potential of a swatting call and adjusted the response accordingly. No stabbing had actually occurred, according to police.
"Swatting" is a term for false emergency reports aimed at attracting a large law enforcement to an area or a specific home, often with an intent to do harm to individuals living there.
Stovall said police are aware of a rising trend of swatting incidents nationwide. During the incident, officers exercised diligence to ensure no one was in danger.
Stovall did not indicate whether police know who placed the call or whether any arrests were made.
Here's the full release:
On August 11th, 2026, at 1247 p.m., the Billings Police Department responded to a reported emergency that an individual had been stabbed and was actively bleeding to death in the 6200 block of Ironwood Dr
During this incident, BPD command staff and responding officers did an exceptional job evaluating the information being provided, recognizing indicators consistent with a potential swatting call, and adjusting the response accordingly. At the same time, officers exercised the necessary diligence to verify the circumstances and ensure there was no legitimate threat to community members. The incident was ultimately confirmed to be a swatting call.
Swatting involves deliberately providing false information to emergency dispatchers in an attempt to generate a significant law enforcement response to a specific location or individual.
The Billings Police Department is aware of the ongoing national trend involving these types of false reports and takes every such call seriously and will pursue the necessary legal action against those generating these types of calls.
BPD personnel approached this incident with professionalism, patience, and appropriate caution while continuing to prioritize the safety of everyone involved.
The Billings Police Department appreciates the professionalism and excellent work demonstrated by the command staff, dispatchers, and officers involved in bringing this incident to a safe resolution.
