Swatting calls target Timberlake, Gomez

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LOS ANGELES, April 6 (UPI) -- Los Angeles police said 911 calls they received reporting trouble at the homes of celebrities Justin Timberlake and Selena Gomez Friday were "swatting" hoaxes.

Officers were dispatched to the residences Friday afternoon but nothing was amiss at either location, police told the Los Angeles Times.

The LAPD concluded the calls were pranks aimed at triggering a massive police response to the homes. Similar "swatting" this week claimed there had been shootings or assaults at the homes of Riannah and Sean Combs.

Swatting has become a growing annoyance for Los Angeles-area law enforcement. Anonymous callers report often-serious incidents to 911 dispatchers and then wait for police to show up in force with guns drawn, presumably catching the unwitting residents by surprise.

The Times said California lawmakers were considering toughening the penalties for hoaxers.