Bieber 'Swatting': Child Arrested Over Hoax

A child has been arrested after hoax calls were made claiming gunshots had been fired at the homes of Justin Bieber and Ashton Kutcher.

Police suspect the unnamed minor was behind calls that resulted in dozens of officers being dispatched to the celebrities' properties in October.

Neither the singer nor the actor were at home during the pranks, which are known as "swatting" because SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) officers are often sent to the purported crime scenes.

The Los Angeles Police Department would not release the name or gender of the child, but said the suspect had been arrested on December 10 and lives in the southern California region.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney 's office is deciding whether or not to press charges.

Dozens of armed police were sent to the Hollywood home of Two And A Half Men star Kutcher after a call was received claiming people were there with guns and explosives - and several people had been shot.

Officers were also dispatched to Bieber's Los Angeles-area home after a false emergency call said gunshots had been fired on the property.

Singer and actress Miley Cyrus has also been targeted by a "swatting" prank, but police said that case had not been linked to the Kutcher and Bieber incidents.