Gwinnett County family traumatized after swatting incident on Christmas Eve

A Gwinnett County family is still trying to make sense of a terrifying Christmas Eve after police surrounded their home following what investigators now believe was a false emergency call.

(CNN)- A Gwinnett County family is still trying to make sense of a terrifying Christmas Eve after police surrounded their home following what investigators now believe was a false emergency call.

Fredis Mejia stood in his backyard, looking over the scene where he says his family’s holiday turned into a nightmare.

“I was angry and scared,” Mejia said. “I feel disappointed and confused. I don’t know what happened.”

Gwinnett County police say officers were dispatched to a home on Sugar Mill Drive near Duluth after receiving a 911 call reporting a woman being held at gunpoint. The address given by the caller, however, did not exist.

Investigators say officers traced the call to Mejia’s home. Body armor, long guns, and shields were deployed as police surrounded the house.

Mejia says he was forced to the ground and handcuffed outside his home while his wife remained inside, terrified.

Speaking in Spanish, Mejia said his wife was too scared to open the door, fearing for her life. He says she hid inside until neighbors pleaded with her to come out before police broke down the door.

After clearing the home, officers determined that no one inside matched the description provided by the caller.

Police now believe the incident was the result of “swatting” — a dangerous prank in which someone makes a false report to prompt a large police response.

In a statement, a Gwinnett County Police spokesperson said, “Given the nature of the call, officers had to treat the situation as a potential emergency and act quickly to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Mejia says once officers realized no crime had occurred, they left without offering an explanation or an apology.

The investigation into who placed the false 911 call remains ongoing.