GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County man says he’s still waiting for answers after a fake 911 call sent officers storming into his home on Christmas Eve, leaving him and his wife handcuffed and traumatized.
Fredis Mejia told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson that he was watching a movie with his wife when he saw officers outside through his security cameras.
“I feel disappointed and confused. I don’t know what happened,” Mejia said.
Video from his home surveillance cameras shows officers with long guns and shields moving around his house on Sugar Mill Drive.
Gwinnett County police say they responded after a 911 call reported a woman being held at gunpoint. The caller provided the address as 4051 Sugar Hill Court, which doesn’t exist.
“Due to the seriousness of the call and the possibility that someone’s life was in danger, steps were immediately taken to determine the location where the phone call was placed,” Cpl. Angela Carter said in a statement.
Based on the information they gathered, officers responded to Mejia’s home on Sugar Mill Drive.
“When they arrived, they made contact with the residents and temporarily detained them while they worked to make sure no one inside was injured or being held against their will,” Cpl. Carter said.
Mejia says officers threw him to the ground and handcuffed him. His wife refused to open the door because she feared immigration officers were at their home, he said in Spanish.
Neighbors eventually convinced her to come out.
After clearing the home, officers determined no one inside matched the caller’s description.
“They didn’t say anything or apologize or anything. They just let us go and that’s it,” Mejia said in Spanish.
Police now believe it was a “swatting” incident, where someone makes a false report to trigger a large police response.
“Swatting calls are illegal and are thoroughly investigated,” Cpl. Carter said, adding that those responsible can face criminal charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies.
Mejia, who has lived in his home for 25 years, believes police should have handled the situation differently.
“They treated us as if we didn’t have a right. They treated us very badly,” Mejia said in Spanish.
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