"It's extremely dangerous:" Acting Sheriff Richard Schmidt responds after 'swatting' incident

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- St. Francis Police addressed a swatting incident on Tuesday.

Someone had called police Monday evening claiming they shot a relative and were holding family members hostage.

Police found out the story wasn't true but only after they responded to the address. They called in other departments for help.

"It's extremely expensive. It's extremely dangerous. It puts the people that get called in danger. All of a sudden, the police show up and they're looking for a potential shooter and they're ready for action at that point," said Acting Sheriff Richard Schmidt.

St. Francis Police say whoever made the "swatting" call could face a misdemeanor, a felony, or even federal charges.

Police will try to make the caller pay for the cost of the response.