Swatting celebrities is becoming a prank epidemic as Miley Cyrus becomes the latest victim - for the second time! On May 17, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) were called to the star's home to find no apparent emergency, according to Hollywood Life.
This was the second time Cyrus was targeted by swatting pranksters in less than a year. The LAPD received a call at around 8:55 p.m. from a female who said she was calling from a closet to report shots were being fired in her home, according to TMZ.
As is usually the case for these pranks, when the police arrived, Cyrus was not even home.
Cyrus was first swatted in August 2012 when someone called 911 to report a home invasion. This second instance makes Cyrus one of the first stars to be victimized by the pranksters twice.
Apparently, during the first prank, Cyrus thought she was in an episode of "Punk'd," a show produced by Ashton Kutcher that features celebrities as the unknowing victims of practical jokes that their friends are in on.
"Swatting" is a word that has been used in recent years to describe when a prankster sends a fake, urgent message to authorities saying there is a serious situation requiring immediate attention, usually involving reports of gunshots.
The pranks put a strain on the police departments who use a lot of resources to respond to calls that turn out to be nothing, as the officers who respond to the pranks have to thoroughly investigate, even if it is obvious that it's a prank.
Previous swatting victims include Anderson Cooper, Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, Russell Brand, Ryan Seacrest, Tom Cruise, Selena Gomez and Rihanna.
Officials have stated their intent to take legal measures to end the pranks. So far, they do not seem to have been successful, as the pranks do not appear to be nearing their end.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
