Police respond to a 911 hoax at a home on Laurelton Boulevard in Long Beach, Long Island, on April 22, 2014. (credit: CBS 2) Police respond to a 911 hoax at a home on Laurelton Boulevard in Long Beach, Long Island, on April 22, 2014. (credit: CBS 2)

LONG BEACH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — Police descended upon a Long Island home Tuesday believing a man had shot several relatives inside. It turned out the 911 call they were responding to was a hoax and part of a game called “Swatting” that law enforcement officials say has become a nationwide epidemic.

Police in Long Beach received the call around 3 p.m. from a man saying he had shot members of his family and was threatening to kill others on Laurelton Boulevard, CBS 2’s Carolyn Gusoff reported.

Nassau County, Long Beach and MTA police and an ambulance responded with their SWAT teams and hostage negotiators, but when police entered the home, they found everyone inside safe and unharmed.