Two hoax emergency calls in Red Wing earlier this month led investigators to an international cybercrime network linked to an extremist group, police said Friday.
Officers and firefighters responded to reports of multiple shooting victims on Oct. 14 and Oct. 16 at a home in the 1300 block of East Avenue. Both calls turned out to be “swatting” incidents — false reports intended to provoke a large-scale armed response.
Red Wing police investigators discovered ties between the false reports and an organized cybercrime ring that targets children and teenagers through online extortion and threats of violence. The group is associated with an extremist organization designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI, police said.
Working with U.S. and international law enforcement, including authorities in the United Kingdom, investigators helped identify a suspect. An arrest was made overseas on Oct. 24 in direct connection with the Red Wing incidents. The case remains under investigation.
Federal authorities have stepped up enforcement against similar online extremist groups in recent months. In April, the Department of Justice announced arrests of leaders of the so-called “764,” a violent network accused of manipulating children and vulnerable people through blackmail, extortion and swatting. The group, which federal officials describe as seeking to undermine governments through acts of terror and abuse, has been linked to an increase in online threats nationwide.
It’s unclear whether the Red Wing incidents are directly tied to that network or a related group.
“These cases show the scope of what we do,” police Capt. Cory Huberty said. “Our mission is the same no matter the distance: keeping Red Wing safe through teamwork and partnerships.”
