https://www.kmov.com/2023/03/2...ted-across-missouri/

quote:

ST. LOUIS (KMOV) – Police across the state of Missouri responded to false reports of school shootings Monday.

News 4 has learned of multiple local high schools and others statewide were the target of false reports of school shootings. In each case, the school district or police were quick to notify the public that the calls were unfounded.

The Parkway School District reported there were “reports of 911 calls regarding safety concerns at multiple high schools” that were found to be false. The district said the majority of their students were unaware of the calls and all activities continued as usual. Unfounded calls were also made to Wright City High School and Rosati-Kain High School.

The incidents were also reported at schools in the Springfield and Kansas City areas.

A police source told News 4 that all the calls appear to be coming from the same phone number.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

What concerns me about this is the thought that it was a trial run to see how easy it is to spread the police out and away from an intended target.

My small town was one of the schools involved. I think we have about 16 officers total covering all shifts, and only one SRO. Our first officer on duty arrived very quickly, and went in alone. She injured her ankle in the process and continued on until the building was completely cleared. Our police chief and his lieutenant who came from their office at the police station were third and fourth through the door. They turned scene command over to the fire department so that they could get as many officers into the building as quickly as possible. Every department nearby sent every asset they had available.

Just like the actual attack that occurred, you couldn't have had a faster, smoother, or better response from all involved. These things are never perfect, but you couldn't have asked for anything more.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
What concerns me about this is the thought that it was a trial run to see how easy it is to spread the police out and away from an intended target.

Possible, sure.

But this is most likely just stupid kids (or childish adults) being stupid copycats.

Anytime there's high profile media coverage of a school shooting, this kind of stuff invariably pops up. Someone (or someones) gets "school shooting" on the brain and start "playing pranks" with the same theme.

Same thing with school bomb threats. We deal with waves of those from time to time. A kid calls in a bomb threat at a school to try to get out of a math test, word gets out, the local media and the community gets all in a tizzy about it all over social media, and then there's invariably a slew of additional ones around the area in the following days as additional kids jump on the bomb threat "prank" bandwagon.

Last week many Iowa schools also got swatted.

Statewide:

https://www.desmoinesregister....cidents/70033199007/

Local:

https://www.ourquadcities.com/...-threats-at-schools/

Suspicious that all the calls to 911 came from the same phone.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
What concerns me about this is the thought that it was a trial run to see how easy it is to spread the police out and away from an intended target.

Possible, sure.

But this is most likely just stupid kids (or childish adults) being stupid copycats.

The stupid is strong with kids, especially adolescents. Pranks, mischief and hijinks bordering on criminal behavior is very common in high schools; there's a strong pull for attention, even if it results in bad outcomes.

Every one of my LEO friends has a story of responding to a 'problem student' at a school, and after a bit of digging, come to find out that this student has quite a record of bad behavior, some of which the police should've been contacted much earlier. Teachers, admin and school district couldn't 'come to terms' they were going to turn a 'child' over to the 'system of incarceration' that they all 'ethically' want to fight against. Instead they shuffle these kids to different schools or, classes or, change their schedule; never mind that this student is not only causing problems but, becoming a terror to everyone around them. The parents (or whomever they're responsible to) are either enablers, willfully ignorant of their child's issues or, they are incapable of parenting because of years of coddling & indulgent behavior.

Multiple schools in two states a week apart. Not buying that as a prank or coincidence.

Clinton , IA and Davenport, Ia last week as well

Over a two week period in the last month at least 4 schools in NE were swatted.

that sounds like tactics and war strategy these freaks would use.

Swatting should be a more serious criminal offense.

Isn’t it? Or why not? If I call 911 falsely or call ambulance, police or fire as a prank, I’m sure I’m looking at fines and/or time. I can’t imagine that it’s just a slap and a warning. Stupid should hurt.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Isn’t it? Or why not? If I call 911 falsely or call ambulance, police or fire as a prank, I’m sure I’m looking at fines and/or time. I can’t imagine that it’s just a slap and a warning. Stupid should hurt.

Problem is that 99 percent of the time “swatting” is perpetrated by juveniles. And just about every state has “reformed” their juvenile Justice systems to the point that a murder is about all that they’ll detain for. And then it’s iffy.

Juvenile justice has seriously become “Stop! Or I’ll say stop again”. Or better yet, it has become that cousin that would show up to family functions and they would run absolutely wild, and the rest of adults are asking his parents “Are you going to bust his ass, or what?”

All fun and games until a patrol unit, ambulance, or fire apparatus gets in an accident and people are hurt responding to a false call.

Yes, I was on an apparatus that got T-boned in an intersection. The call turned out to be false (not malicious). Driver was transported and we spent hours filling out reports and taking the rig out of service.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
Problem is that 99 percent of the time “swatting” is perpetrated by juveniles. And just about every state has “reformed” their juvenile Justice systems to the point that a murder is about all that they’ll detain for. And then it’s iffy.

Juvenile justice has seriously become “Stop! Or I’ll say stop again”. Or better yet, it has become that cousin that would show up to family functions and they would run absolutely wild, and the rest of adults are asking his parents “Are you going to bust his ass, or what?”

Yea, I get it. But it might be nice to perhaps hold the parents accountable. Their dependent, their responsibility (at least partially). They are responsible for raising the kids and their behavior, good or bad. Just like if an employee does something bad, the CEO can be held accountable for certain things.

Someone, somewhere should be held accountable for every bad action caused by a person. Maybe take away their driver's license or permit. Or prohibit possession of one until 21. Or anything that will at least be perceived as a penalty for bad behavior. Anything is better than nothing.

Swatting has an intentionally desired outcome. The perp is hoping for something to happen.

So there is a crime there, not merely a prank that annoys people.

At the least, bill the perp (and parents if it is a minor). Charge with attempted murder if the victim was at risk due to the nature of the call.

It happened across Mass yesterday as well, they called 28 different schools.

It appears Pittsburgh's turn today. Police are on scene at a Catholic school that has received multiple bomb threats.

This is now two (2) schools, Central Catholic and Oakland Catholic. University of Pittsburgh also locked down due to proximity but has reopened.

Local news is reporting this might be active shooter scenario as well. Apparently these schools have an additional alarm system like a fire alarm pull station (blue vs. red) that sends a notification to police, sets off alarms in the school, locks external doors, etc.

Police believe these calls are computer generated after interfacing with agencies in other states.

Like I said. This shit comes in waves. And the more it's talked about, the bigger the wave gets, as additional participants jump on the bandwagon.

Very prophetic Rogue... Utah is getting it state wide right now according to the scanner.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Like I said. This shit comes in waves. And the more it's talked about, the bigger the wave gets, as additional participants jump on the bandwagon.

yep, most likely perpetrated by some people who just want to watch things burn.....