Halifax Regional Police are reporting a recent “swatting” incident in which a false report is made to police in order to solicit a major police response.

Police in the Nova Scotia capital responded to a false report of a shooting and hostage situation in the community of Bedford overnight Sunday.

Officers received a report from a man who indicated that he had shot his father and was holding his mother hostage at gunpoint.

The apartment building involved was evacuated and Halifax Regional contacted the man’s parents, both of whom were safe.

The man who is believed to have made the report had no knowledge of the incident and was released without charge.

Police now say that the initial call was made from outside of Canada in what they believe was a “swatting” incident.

A similar incident occurred in St. John’s last month in which false reports of shootings in the downtown were linked by police to the work of a violent online terrorist group known as 764.

In that case, the group, which targets children and young people through gaming platforms, used the method to prove to a victim that they can follow through on their threats.

Police investigate swatting incident

Police responded to a false report of a shooting and hostage situation in Bedford overnight.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., police received a report from a man who identified himself as a living in an apartment complex on River Lane in… pic.twitter.com/0NR2LqvOT1

— Halifax_Police (@HfxRegPolice) July 13, 2026