The family of Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg was just the target of a prank that landed law enforcement at their home.

Hogg’s family was “swatted” Tuesday morning, as police responded to a call about a hostage situation in the home of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student, WPLG reported. Swatting is “making a prank emergency call to bring about a response of armed law enforcement officers,” the station explained.

#BREAKING @browardsheriff tells CBS12 deputies responded to prank call to the home of Stoneman Douglas student-activist David Hogg, scene being cleared. pic.twitter.com/68IqGCntzA

— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) June 5, 2018

According to WPLG:

A call came into the Broward Sheriff’s Office claiming a hostage situation at the home in the 7800 block of Northwest 122nd Way.

Coral Springs Fire Rescue arrived at the scene to find there was no hostage situation and the call was a prank.

Hogg was not home at the time of the incident and is currently in Washington, DC with his mother to accept the RFK Human Rights award.

 

SWATTED: False Claim Of Hostage Situation Draws Massive Police Response To Home Of David Hogg – https://t.co/so39vC0oxI pic.twitter.com/cmteQxIdWk

— JoeMyGod (@JoeMyGod) June 5, 2018

Multiple crews and a police helicopter from the Broward Sheriff’s Office responded and the units were staged outside the home as a precaution.

Hogg has headed up to Washington following his graduation this weekend during a bittersweet ceremony that honored the 17 lives lost in February when gunman Nikolas Cruz opened fire in the south Florida high school. Hogg, a vocal gun control advocate, plans to embark on a 60-day road trip called “March for Our Lives: Road to Change” over the summer, according to ABC News.

As we have seen this is how people get shot. The person who perpetrated this hoax should be arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed by law!

— Steve Buckland (@SteveBuckland4) June 5, 2018

The hoax had ramifications beyond Hogg’s home as at least one nearby school was put on lockdown, undoubtedly terrifying students, teachers and parents in the area.

https://twitter.com/SheliNBC6/status/1004002753176326145

News of the hoax sparked outrage on both sides of the political aisle:

This is outrageous!

You don’t have to like @davidhogg111, you can disagree with @davidhogg111, you can voice your disagreement, but this right here is dangerous harassment, puts lives in danger, there is no justification in the world to do this to anyone! https://t.co/pHtsSyj9EG

— Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) June 5, 2018

https://twitter.com/AmandaMarcotte/status/1004004735433748481

Indeed. The fact that it’s David Hogg isn’t the issue. It could be Tomi Lahren. SWATing someone isn’t a “prank,” it’s putting them, the police officers, and others at a substantial risk of serious injury or death.

— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) June 5, 2018

Part of me wants to laugh about it but in no way is this funny, i cant stand hogg but i hope they catch who ever did this thankfully no one was hurt and it was a prank and not a real hostage situation

— john doe (@scottymc75) June 5, 2018

Fellow Parkland student Kyle Kashuv disagrees vehemently with Hogg on the issue of gun rights, but quickly condemned the hoax:

This is not okay. Stop. Please. https://t.co/OCT5rRAx1q

— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 5, 2018

My sisters were at their middle and elementary schools, and were put on lockdown. The fear that went through me was the same fear I had on Valentine’s Day

— Sarah//surviving warrior (@SarahStricker) June 5, 2018

What horrific POS did this? https://t.co/nPQDRzNNUw

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 5, 2018

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Frieda Powers

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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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