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RCMP Seeks Video After Cat in the Hat Chase

9/10/2026

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Summary

Cat-in-the-Hat Chase

The British Columbia RCMP are searching for a person in a Cat in the Hat costume who chased a teen.
The chase occurred at 9 p.m. on Aug. 24 near Shamrock Drive in Kelowna.
The teen walked home safely and suffered no injuries.
RCMP have asked for doorbell, security or dash-cam video from that night.
Police say assault, threats or intimidation charges could follow if evidence supports.

Summary

AI Sparks Alerts

AI-generated “Cat in the Hat” videos sparked school safety alerts in multiple states and ten juvenile arrests.
FBI helped Nicholasville Police identify a minor who posted threatening Cat in the Hat TikTok messages.
Kentucky’s 2022 swatting law makes false school threats a Class D felony punishable by one to five years.
Retired sergeant Jason Rothermund predicts police will create AI investigation units as the technology spreads.

History

Historical Context

The 2014 Texas swatting that killed a teenager led Congress to allocate $12 million for anti-swatting programs. Seattle Police Department adopted a three-part mitigation plan in 2018, the FBI launched a swatting database in 2023, and the ADL reported about 1,000 incidents in 2019 each costing $10,000. RCMP and Nicholasville Police now use AI units to detect similar digital threats.

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Cat-in-the-Hat Chase

The British Columbia RCMP are searching for a person in a Cat in the Hat costume who chased a teen.
The chase occurred at 9 p.m. on Aug. 24 near Shamrock Drive in Kelowna.
The teen walked home safely and suffered no injuries.
RCMP have asked for doorbell, security or dash-cam video from that night.
Police say assault, threats or intimidation charges could follow if evidence supports.

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