An elderly Burlington couple is looking for answers after they were targeted in a fake emergency call that sent a police tactical unit, with guns drawn, to their door looking for an active shooter that didn’t exist.
Video shows the tactical unit, carrying body shields and rifles, massing in front of the suburban home of Jeannie Olchowy, 85, and her husband Nicholas, 94, in August, calling out for those inside to get their hands up or face arrest.
“I will never forget that day,” said the couple’s daughter, Jennifer Olchowy, in an interview.
“They had guns, assault rifles aimed at our heads, and I’m trying consciously not to flinch, because I don’t want any of us to get shot.”
The family is coming forward now because they are still in the dark as to who targeted them with a “swatting” attack, which is a bogus call for assistance that police forces generally must respond to.
It is derived from the U.S. law enforcement unit SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics). SWAT is equivalent to police tactical units in Canada. The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) has the Tactical Rescue Unit.
Unfortunately, police response to swatting calls can be traumatizing in itself, and the Olchowys are calling out for solutions so that other families aren’t as surprised and traumatized as they were.
HRPS told CTV News in a statement that they are still investigating who was responsible for the original call.
“We recognize and deeply understand how difficult this situation is for the victims and their families,” the service said in a statement.
“Police have a duty to respond strategically to active and potential threats to protect the community. Most often in the case of a swatting incident, the ‘caller’ alleges an ongoing violent incident is taking place, and officers must respond to meet any and all potential threats until such time as the incident is proven to be false,” the statement continued.
“In this instance, this remains an active criminal investigation, and it is essential that we adhere to established investigative and legal processes. Following these procedures is critical to hopefully identify those responsible, ensuring they are held fully accountable, and to delivering justice for the victims.”
‘All I could hear was the screaming’
The video shows how the incident unfolded, with the Halton officers calling the Olchowys’ phone and telling them to come outside.
Once outside, Jennifer and Jeannie are surprised to see the officers, who tell them to put their hands up.
“They’re telling me to put my hands up,” says Jennifer in surprise.
“Are you serious?” asks Jeannie.
The mother and daughter complied with the demands.
“All I could hear was the screaming, and I was wondering, ‘Why am I putting my hands up in the air? What have I done?” recalled Jeanie.
Nicholas, who was still in the house he and his wife have lived in for 61 years, spoke to the officers through the front door.
“Is anyone hurt inside?” one officer calls out.
“No!” Nicholas replies. “Are you kidding?”
Eventually, Nicholas came out too.
“They said, ‘Take your time.’ Even though the killer was supposedly in the house. There was nobody there,” Nicholas recalled.
They learned from officers at the scene that someone had called police to warn of an active shooter at that address, with a name they didn’t recognize.
Swatting started out as a prank among online gaming communities and has grown in popularity in part because of how easy it is to execute, even from far away from the scene.
A Markham school was disrupted recently with a swatting incident, with police noting that the call that sparked it came from Los Angeles, Calif.
‘Swatting’ becoming more common
Cybercrime expert Chester Wisniewski of Sophos told CTV News that swatting is sometimes used as a revenge tactic or a punishment in extortion.
“The crime that’s happening in the house that the police need to respond to is almost always indicates that the person is armed and going to harm themselves or others, and that of course makes the police very keyed up to come in with guns pointing at the victims of these crimes,” Wisniewski said.
It’s becoming more common, he said.
“The anonymity of the internet emboldens people to commit these types of crimes,” he said.
However, police do make arrests and file charges: for example, in January, a youth from Ottawa was charged in relation to seven incidents between December 2025 and January 2026.
Lawyer Matthew Browne said in an interview that swatting is usually categorized as public mischief and carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
“Crown prosecutors and police forces tend to take this very seriously because when somebody makes a false report, it results in the state diverting legitimate resources to illegitimate means,” he said.
The Olchowys, who have volunteered with Crime Stoppers over the years, filed a complaint and a freedom of information request, which was denied as the criminal investigation into the event continues.
Jennifer says she’s still in shock and wants answers about how this happened.
“It’s very traumatizing to see police now. And both my dad and I volunteered alongside police for a number of years, so it’s quite upsetting,” she said.
