Hoax Caller Claimed To Shoot Wife, Tie Up Son In Westborough

WESTBOROUGH, MA — A man who called Westborough police to confess that he shot his wife and tied up his son turned out not to be in Massachusetts at all, according to police.

The Westborough Police Department responded to a swatting incident on Tuesday night. Officers were sent to an address on West Main Street, where a man claimed he shot his wife, tied up his son and doused the apartment in gasoline.

When police arrived, they determined the incident was a hoax. There were no signs of activity, and the address was entirely commercial, according to the police department.

Police confirmed that the call originated from California.

“This willful and malicious act of deception posed serious risks to public safety and emergency resources, wrote Chief Todd C. Minardi in a news release. “They divert critical resources away from real emergencies and can lead to unintended harm.”

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