Report: Distress Call Seemingly from Wolf Blitzer's Bethesda Home Was a Hoax

A message sent to the Montgomery County Police Department on Saturday evening stating that someone had been shot at Wolf Blitzer’s Bethesda home turned out to be a hoax, The Washington Post reported.

But, the hoax was not discovered until after police had set up a perimeter around the home of the journalist and television news anchor—who was out of town last weekend. Police disbanded after a CNN spokesperson confirmed that Blitzer was out of town, Politico reported.

It's another case of "SWATing," in which police are deployed in response to a fake distress call. A SWAT incident can cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars, and can interfere with police being able to respond to actual emergency situations, The Post added.

Saturday's text message that was sent to county police "was set up to seem like it was from Blitzer himself, and it included his address," Montgomery County Police Department Capt. Paul Starks told The Post. 

Police do not know where or from whom the hoax message originated, Starks added.

Read more about Saturday's SWAT incident on The Washington Post's website.

This area has seen hoax calls before. About a year and a half ago, a hoax at nearby St. John's College High School in Upper Northwest Washington, DC, caused DC police to respond to a fake chemical spill, WAMU 88.5 reported.

And, just last month, the hacking group Syrian Electronic Army claimed responsibility for hacking into the Twitter account of the Associated Press and stating that two explosions had taken place in the White House, and that President Obama had been injured, USA Today reported.

"The Dow Jones industrial average plunged more than 128 points in seconds after the report. It recovered just as quickly when the report was found to be false," USA Today added.

Do you think hoaxes and hackings are on the rise? Why? Tell us in the comments.