Suspect Arrested In String Of 'Swatting' Calls Across Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The New York State Police have arrested a Putnam County man in connection with a swatting incident that led to an emergency response at a residence in Amawalk.

On Thursday, shortly after 11 a.m., troopers and investigators from the State Police Somers Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) responded to a report of a violent assault in progress at a home on Chalmers Boulevard.

"My neighbor is assaulting his wife, and her head is cracked open," the caller, who was initially thought to be female, falsely told emergency dispatchers.

Shortly after, the caller provided conflicting information about their identity and location, first claiming to be from Maryland, then correcting to Poughkeepsie, while saying they were traveling on I-684, according to state police.

Upon arriving at the home, troopers quickly determined that the call was a hoax.

A similar false report had been made earlier that day regarding the victim's son at his home in Pawling, using similar language, according to police. The son identified a former high school classmate, Mikel Kolaj, as a potential suspect, citing prior threats against his brother's girlfriend and another swatting incident on New Year’s Day.

Investigators learned that Kolaj was also the subject of an ongoing criminal case with the Eastchester Police Department for yet another similar swatting incident.

Kolaj, gave investigators a full confession, admitting to making swatting calls in the past, including this most recent one, according to NYSP. He told investigators his first swatting incident had occurred at the beginning of the year and targeted the same family, police said.

The 31-year-old resident of Mahopac was arrested and charged with three counts of falsely reporting a crime. He also admitted to previous swatting incidents, including two within the Eastchester Police Department's jurisdiction. Kolaj was released on his own recognizance, and an Order of Protection was issued for the victim in this case, according to New York State Police, citing the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

"Swatting is a dangerous criminal act that diverts emergency resources and places individuals at risk," NYSP said in a statement. "The New York State Police take these incidents seriously and will continue to investigate and arrest those responsible."

An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed information about the defendant's bail status to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office. That information should have correctly been attributed to the New York State Police, who were citing the DA's office.