LISTEN: Jasper County Sheriff Releases 911 Audio from Brookeland 'Swatting' Call – Public Asked to Help Identify Caller

The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office has released the chilling 911 audio of a false emergency call that sparked a massive law enforcement response Sunday afternoon. Sheriff Chuck Havard is urging the public to listen to the clip and come forward with any information that could help identify the caller.

At approximately 4:42 p.m. on July 27, a call came into 911 from an individual claiming he had shot his 15-year-old sister, that she was unresponsive, and that the home was rigged with explosive devices meant to harm responding officers. The caller also claimed to be armed with a pistol and a shotgun, and stated he did not want to go back to jail.

JCSO deputies and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers rushed to the scene on Northview Drive in Brookeland. After a swift and coordinated response, law enforcement determined the call to be a hoax.

“This is not only a severe violation of the law,” said Sheriff Havard, “it also unnecessarily places our law enforcement and citizens in a very dangerous situation.”

Deputies confirmed there was no emergency after speaking with the homeowner and nearby neighbors.

The incident is part of a growing and dangerous trend known as “swatting”, where someone makes a false emergency report to prompt an aggressive law enforcement response—often involving SWAT teams or multiple agencies. These incidents can lead to unnecessary trauma, legal consequences, and in some cases, injury or death.

“It puts both law enforcement and the public in danger,” Havard explained. “We take it seriously and are pursuing all applicable charges.”

Sheriff Havard has contacted local, state, and federal partners, including the FBI’s Beaumont office, to investigate. The caller used a fictitious name, and the investigation is focused on tracking the source of the call and identifying the suspect.

“We will do everything we can to find out the identity of this suspect and file every appropriate criminal charge we can,” Havard said.

Anyone who recognizes the voice in the released audio or has information about this incident is urged to contact the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office at 409-384-5417 or reach out anonymously through the Crime Stoppers tip line at 409-833-TIPS (8477).