A fleet of police cruisers descended on Disneyland Wednesday night after 911 callers reported a mass shooting at the Anaheim theme park—only for investigators to discover the emergency call was an elaborate swatting hoax targeting livestreamers broadcasting to thousands of viewers.
At least a dozen patrol vehicles rushed to the park around 9:45 p.m. following reports of a possible mass shooting and bomb threats. Anaheim Police Department Sgt. Matt Sutter told KTLA that investigators believed the incident was a swatting call, a dangerous criminal hoax involving false emergency reports designed to trigger massive law enforcement responses.
Officers secured the scene but did not evacuate the theme park, which remained open and operating normally throughout the response. Police quickly determined the threats were fabricated, with Sutter telling City News Service that investigators found the report not credible within 45 minutes. No injuries were reported.
A popular livestreamer known as Oblivion was broadcasting from the park when security and police approached him. Video footage shows Disney employees and law enforcement questioning the streamer, who explained the situation to his online audience.
“It’s just a random internet guy that just swatted us,” the livestreamer told officers.
Disney security ultimately removed Oblivion from the park, with an employee citing he was “disrupting” business. Fans greeted the streamer and posed for photos as security escorted him to his vehicle.
The Disneyland incident marked one of three separate swatting calls that struck Los Angeles and Orange counties Wednesday night, all appearing to target social media influencers who were streaming live.
Earlier that evening around 5 p.m., police swarmed The Shops at Santa Anita in Arcadia after someone called 911 claiming people inside a Journeys shoe store were armed with rifles and bombs. Officers in tactical gear arrived with weapons drawn, ordering shoppers to get on the ground while a SWAT vehicle staged outside the mall entrance.
The targets were livestreamers Zavalahimself and Amanda Solis, who were broadcasting a day out with a young fan when tactical officers rushed into the store. Arcadia Police Department officials initiated a temporary lockdown of the mall while conducting a systematic search of the property before determining the threat was a hoax.
Just before midnight, police swarmed a home in Fullerton following reports of a man with a gun. Officers found nothing and cleared the scene, marking the third swatting incident of the night. All three calls appeared linked to social media influencers, some of whom were streaming live at the time.
Authorities have made no arrests, and the identity and location of the caller or callers remain unknown. Investigators continue working to trace the source of the hoax calls. Swatting is a serious state and federal crime, with perpetrators facing charges including false reporting of an emergency.
The incidents occurred against a backdrop of heightened security concerns across California. An FBI memo distributed to California law enforcement in late February warned that Iran “allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack” using drones from unidentified vessels off the California coast, prompting increased vigilance at public venues.
However, the FBI alert was based on unverified intelligence, and officials have emphasized there is no confirmed imminent threat. Governor Gavin Newsom posted on social media: “While we are not aware of any imminent threats at this time, we remain prepared for any emergency in our state.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back on initial reporting, stating that no such threat “exists, and it never did.”
Swatting has evolved from targeting individual gamers in their homes to striking public venues and businesses. The practice originated in online gaming communities, where hostile players would obtain opponents’ addresses and call in false emergencies to provoke dramatic responses captured on livestreams. The phenomenon has escalated in recent years, with perpetrators now targeting high-profile locations like theme parks and shopping malls to maximize attention and disruption.
The anonymous nature of online platforms and ease of finding information has emboldened perpetrators despite serious legal consequences. Swatting puts innocent lives at risk by diverting emergency resources and creating potentially deadly confrontations between heavily armed law enforcement and unsuspecting victims.
The Anaheim Police Department encourages anyone with information about the hoax calls to contact them at (714) 765-1900. Those with information about the Santa Anita incident can contact Arcadia Police at 626-574-5151.
Disneyland returned to normal operations following the incident. Park officials have not released details about whether specific guests or areas were targeted in the false reports. Police have not confirmed whether the various swatting incidents were coordinated or the work of multiple perpetrators.