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Hoax active shooter calls at Georgia schools latest in 'swatting' trend, law enforcement expert says

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Published  November 30, 2022 11:28pm EST
Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta

High school campuses lockdown over fake reports of shootings

Officers raced to schools at multiple Georgia campuses to discover the calls were fake. Law enforcement experts say the calls frustrate law enforcement across the U.S.

CARTERSVILLE, Ga - Federal, state and local agencies are investigating fake calls of an active shooter on school campuses across Georgia.

Cartersville police and officers from surrounding agencies raced to the high school Wednesday morning after a 911 call about an active shooter. Officers immediately secured the building. After a thorough search, they determined the call had been a hoax.

"That's nothing to play around with, that's not funny," said Stephanie Carrasco who lives in Cartersville.

Law enforcement presence at Cartersville High School on Nov. 30, 2022.

Cambridge High School in Milton was on a hard lockdown after police say someone called 911 claiming to be a teacher and said shots had been fired.  

FAMILY SAYS THEY'RE TRAUMATIZED TO BE VICTIMS OF 'SWATTING' CALL

A sweep of the school found no evidence of a shooting.

Cambridge High School in Fulton County was targeted by a "swatting" call on Nov. 30, 2022.

Terrifying 911 calls were made to several other schools across Georgia within a matter of hours.  

Law enforcement responded to "swatting" calls at multiple Georgia schools on Nov. 30, 2022.

In Savannah, there was a huge law enforcement presence at the high school. 

Local and state police, along with the FBI swarmed the area after a 911 caller claimed several people had been shot. In reality, there was no gunman, no one had been shot.

"The frustration over these false calls is tremendous," said Mo Canady with the National Association of School Resource Officers. 

Canady says since September, more than 30 other states have been hit with swatting calls to multiple schools. Canady says it causes trauma among students and staff and is tough on law enforcement.

"We got law enforcement, lights and sirens, trying to get there as quickly as possible and no matter how safe we are in doing that it still creates a level of danger for all involved," said Canady.

The FBI released a statement saying confirming they received numerous swatting incidents at schools across Georgia and are working with local law enforcement to identify the source.

"I hope they catch whoever it is, whatever group it is, and sooner rather than later, we've had enough disruption of schools," said Canady.

Gov. Brian Kemp released a statement calling this "domestic terrorism" and saying the people behind these calls will be caught and will face charges.