On Monday, April 6, 2026, at 10:49 am, the Culver City Police Department responded to the Westfield Culver City shopping center after receiving a call on the non-emergency line reporting that a shooting had occurred.
Officers responded immediately and conducted a comprehensive search of the property to ensure the safety of all patrons, employees, and visitors.
No suspect or victim was located, and there were no additional calls or evidence to indicate that an incident had occurred. There were no disruptions to normal operations at the shopping center.
At this time, no credible threat to the public has been identified. Preliminary information indicates the call was likely a hoax, commonly referred to as “swatting.”
Swatting is a form of criminal harassment that involves deceiving an emergency service into sending a police or emergency response team to a location. Making a false report of a serious law enforcement emergency is a crime. The term is derived from the law enforcement acronym SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics.)
Officer Jennifer Atenza notes that “We understand reports like this can cause concern. Culver City Police remain committed to the safety of our community and will continue to respond swiftly and thoroughly to all reports of this nature. We appreciate the cooperation of mall patrons and staff during this response.”
An investigation by the CCPD into the false report is underway.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Culver City Police Department at (310) 253-6202. Anonymous tips can be provided through Crime Stoppers by calling (800) 222-TIPS (8477), using the “P3 Tips” mobile app, or visiting lacrimestoppers.org.
