Man sends police to family's home after threatening to kill hostages in prank

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — A family in Bridgewater turned into the victims of a swatting incident after a man sent police to their home by threatening to kill hostages in a prank.

The unknown man called police repeatedly around 4 a.m., threatening to shoot hostages in a house on Aldrich Place if he didn't get money in return.

"Eight hostages, he's going to kill them all in 10 minutes," audio from the police scanner said. "He wants $10,000."

Officers responded to the home and found nothing suspicious, as 13-year-old Caoimhe Convery called police to say a stranger on social media was threatening to harm her.

"He said, 'Look outside your window, they're all out there," Convery said.

Convery said she was video chatting with friends on an app called "Houseparty," when the man allegedly behind the prank started to threaten her.

"He was like, 'I know everything about you,'" Convery said. "And he just kept calling my house number, and I was like, I was so confused how he was doing all of it. And he was like, 'I'll get you expelled from your school and I'll ruin your life."

During the chaos, the family in the home was forced to exit with their hands up for police, all for what was determined to be a hoax.

"I just felt so bad for my daughter because, of course, she's 13 years of age," Kerry Convery said. "And it's a scary experience for her. It's not funny, you shouldn't do that to anybody. It's not a prank, it's really not fair, especially to families like that. Innocent people."

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The 13-year-old wasn't sure how the man got into her group chat with friends, but said a friend may have added or accepted a friend request.

In the end, the incident turned into a lesson about the dangers of social media.

"Don't add people you don't know," Caoihme Convery said.

The prank also forced the 13-year-old's mother to rethink what her daughter is allowed to do on social media.

"I have to make some serious rules about not having her on that app," Kerry Convery said.

Police haven't found the suspect who made the call, but the 13-year-old said the man claimed to be from Ukraine.

Cox Media Group