MADISON, Wis. – One day after the deadly mass shooting at Abundant Life Christian School, several Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) campuses received swatting threats. Swatting is the act of reporting fake threats to emergency responders to elicit a large law enforcement response.
The hoax threats were received on Tuesday, claiming someone in crisis was outside the school buildings with a weapon. The calls were made to appear as though they were coming from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Related Article: School Swatting Threats: How Common Are They and What Do They Cost Taxpayers?
Local law enforcement investigated the fake threatening calls and determined there was no credible threat, reports WAOW.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes confirmed multiple schools had received hoax calls, saying his department is working closely with MMSD to determine where the calls originated, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Hoax Threats Common After Tragedies
In an email to the community, MMSD explained that swatting incidents have become increasingly common, particularly following tragic situations, reports WMTV.
“Regardless of the circumstances, we treat every threat with the utmost seriousness and conduct thorough investigations in partnership with law enforcement to ensure the security of our students and staff,” the email said.
Related Article: School Anonymous Reporting Systems by State
The email from MMSD also reminded the community that Wisconsin’s anonymous reporting program, called Speak Up Speak Out, is available for people to anonymously provide tips about concerning behavior.
Additional School Swatting Resources
- School Swatting: Why It’s So Dangerous and How to Combat It
- Can Campuses Stop School ‘Swatting’ Threats?
- Swatting Incidents: 4 Ways to Reduce Widespread Panic, Improve Response
- Police Chief Shares Lessons Learned from Recent Bomb Threats Against HBCUs
- Emergency Management’s Role When Campuses Respond to Bomb Threats and Suspicious Packages
