Restaurant in Hawaii Victim of Alleged SWATTING Prank

Diners at a Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant in Waikiki, Hawaii, were given a scare after the store's manager screamed for everyone to get on the ground, the result of what local authorities believe was a “SWATTING” prank.

“The term comes from the pranksters' desire to have heavily armed special weapons teams dispatched to their calls,” the Associated Press notes. “The calls, sometimes made by children, can tie up resources ranging from dispatchers, patrol officers, detectives helicopters and police dogs.”

“At about 7:15 p.m. Thursday, the restaurant got a call from a person who claimed to be from the Honolulu Police Department,” KHON 2 reports. “The caller told the manager that someone in the restaurant was armed and dangerous.”

The manager reacted on instinct, telling patrons to duck for cover.

“The waiter was taking our order and we heard someone, everybody on the phone. And it took twice for her to say it before it registered, and everybody just went down on the floor,” customer Kathryn Jupp told KHON 2.

“And I’m shaken up now and the outrageous symbolism of lying on top of my son and my young daughter, feeling that it could be real,” another customer, Robert Ovadia, said

The report estimates roughly 10 heavily armed police officers showed up to restaurant.

“But they did not find anyone in the restaurant who was armed and dangerous,” the report notes. “A police officer on the scene told KHON2 news, the call to the restaurant that started it all, was likely, a prank call.”

Hilarious, right?

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