FBI Warns of Surge in Swatting Hoaxes Targeting US Universities
The FBI urges vigilance as nearly a dozen universities face active shooter hoaxes that have triggered lockdowns and armed SWAT deployments.
Swatting Incidents Cause Panic Across Campuses
The FBI is investigating a series of hoax active shooter threats at US universities, which have prompted chaotic armed responses as students return for the fall semester.
Since last Thursday, nearly a dozen campuses have been hit by so-called "swatting" calls—false emergency reports designed to trigger SWAT team deployments, sowing fear among students, faculty and staff.
In a statement, the FBI urged the public to "remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to law enforcement," warning that each hoax strains resources, costs thousands of dollars, and endangers innocent people.
Multiple Universities Affected
Villanova University in Pennsylvania received two separate threats within four days. During an orientation Mass, student Ava Petrosky described the panic that erupted in the chapel: "I honestly thought, 'I'm going to die,'" she told CNN.
Later that day, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga went into lockdown. Senior Luke Robbins recalled to the Chattanooga Times Free Press: "In two seconds, the whole classroom evacuated. We ran outside past officers armed with assault rifles—it was just chaotic."
Other institutions reporting swatting hoaxes include Iowa State University, University of Arkansas, Northern Arizona University, University of South Carolina, Doane University, University of New Hampshire, University of Colorado Boulder and Kansas State University.
Growing Trend and Legal Actions
The FBI's newly created database has tracked thousands of swatting incidents since 2023, as the phenomenon spreads nationwide. Some hoaxes have led to tragic results, with victims injured or even killed by police responding to false calls.
Authorities say several perpetrators have been prosecuted. Among them are a British national extradited to the US, a Wisconsin man who streamed raids using hacked doorbell cameras, and a 19-year-old convicted of targeting Jewish institutions globally.
Swatting hoaxes not only waste critical law enforcement resources but also put innocent lives at risk when armed officers respond to fabricated threats.
This topic was reported by BBC News.
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