In 2023, swatting cost K-12 schools more than $82.3M, and this did not include additional costs such as missed class time, missed work for parents and physical damages, which could bring this number to hundreds of millions. So, what is swatting? Swatting is actually still a relatively new term focused on fake emergency calls designed to cause panic and chaos, and often involves a significant police response. These incidents are happening with much greater regularity, especially within the academic environment, causing mass disruptions and emotional distress for those affiliated with local schools. In this article, we'll look at this growing trend in schools and examine the impact, legal consequences and ways to prevent swatting.
Quick Facts
- Swatting in schools is on the rise and cost K-12 institutions more than $82.3M in 2023.
- One swatting incident costs at least $100K for each emergency response.
- Prevention strategies are needed to combat this alarming trend, such as new technologies like visual AI monitoring systems, improved school communication protocols and specialized law enforcement training.
- The legal penalties for swatting are severe and can include a life sentence.
What does Swatting Mean and How Does it Work?
Swatting, from the term SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), means when you call emergency services and make fake reports of serious crimes like shootings, bomb threats or hostage situations. The goal is to trick authorities into sending the SWAT team to your location, or other law enforcement that has been assigned to handle potential threats. When a threat comes in, the police immediately place that alert on the highest priority police response list and emergency services are called in full force.
Often times a swatting incident starts with the attacker getting someone's personal details, such as their home address or work address. This information is often obtained through doxing or exploiting that person's location services. The attacker then performs a "swatting call", where they make a fake call to emergency services, using techniques to hide their identity and make the call sound legitimate. Caller ID spoofing is one common tactic used to make the phone number displayed to dispatchers look like the victim's number, so the attacker's true identity and location are hidden. To add to this, other technologies such as voice-over-internet services, IP addresses and VPNs are used to obscure the caller's location and make the call untraceable.
Swatters are smart and fabricate scenarios that require immediate law enforcement intervention, such as bomb threats or active shooter situations. These false reports waste resources and put innocent lives at risk because of the chaos that ensues. It is important for both schools and local law enforcement to develop strategies to prevent and respond to swatting incidents.
The Role of Technology in Facilitating Swatting
Technology is a double-edged sword in the fight against swatting. While it provides safety and communication tools, it also gives swatters advanced tools to carry out their attacks and remain anonymous. Swatting incidents usually start with false reports to emergency services and technology allows callers to mask their identities through caller ID spoofing and other tricks. This makes it hard for law enforcement to trace the call and respond accordingly.
The internet and social media are other tools used to gather personal info about potential victims. Swatters can exploit information shared online, such as home addresses, phone numbers or even location data from social media posts. This precise information allows them to target individuals more effectively. One group that is most vulnerable to these exploitations is the online gaming community because gamers share personal information during live streams or in chat rooms. This inadvertently exposes them to swatting.
To prevent swatting, it is important to understand how technology is used in these incidents. By knowing this and being more aware, people can protect their online information, use privacy settings and become more cautious about sharing sensitive info. Individuals and organizations must be vigilant and follow best practices to prevent technology from being used against them in swatting attacks.
Swatting Schools is on the Rise
False threats to schools, even though they are gun-free zones, are no longer a rare occurrence. In fact, over 1,000 incidents were reported in 2019, and the trend is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, the 2022-2023 school year saw 63.8% of all violent incidents in schools being false reports of active shooters.
One of the challenging aspects of swatting incidents is that many originate from outside the school community, which often makes it difficult to determine who made the call. Technology has enabled these callers to have anonymity, allowing them to cause chaos without facing immediate consequences. This has led law enforcement to step up their prevention tactics and the FBI to create a national database to track swatting incidents and share the information as needed. According to news reports, this database is designed to help prevent future swatting attacks by improving coordination between agencies.
In addition to their high cost, swatting incidents also lead to a declining sense of safety in schools because students, teachers, parents and the community feel that their schools are under constant siege. This creates an environment of fear and uncertainty for everyone involved.
Understanding how swatting works and its impact on the community is key to developing successful preventive methods.
Swatting's Impact on Schools and Communities
Swatting has a huge impact on schools and their surrounding communities. In the 2022-2023 school year alone, 446 swatting incidents were reported, and each event caused those in the school to fear for their safety. The more often these incidents occur, the more both students and staff are on edge, never knowing if the next alarm will be a drill or a real threat.
Not only does swatting disrupt the educational process, but it also causes emotional distress. In fact, the chaos and fear caused by these false threats can lead to long-term trauma for students, staff and parents. The psychological impact of a swatting incident can manifest in anxiety, depression and even PTSD. The emotional scars from these events can affect academic performance and overall well-being. Thus, not only do schools need to deal with the financial burden of these events, but they must also ensure the emotional well-being of their students and staff.
Swatting is also a challenge for emergency responders, with multiple negative impacts. The false alarms waste resources and slow down response times, making it harder for emergency services to respond to real emergencies. After a swatting incident, there is often follow-up work, investigations, property repairs and counseling for those affected. The whole community suffers as the constant threat of swatting erodes the sense of safety and security, and uses financial and time resources that can't be used where most needed.
Motivations Behind Swatting Incidents
Understanding the motivation of swatters is key to developing effective strategies to prevent them. People swat for harassment, revenge or because of disputes in online communities. Some swatters are misguided students trying to cancel or delay exams, while others are in it for financial gain by getting paid to do it or threatening victims to swat unless a ransom is paid. These financial motives show the level of planning that typically goes into many swatting attacks.
Sometimes swatters are motivated by some sort of bias and will target specific groups based on race or political affiliation. Swatting can be a way to intimidate marginalized communities and make them fearful and distressed.
Because the various motives make it hard to predict and prevent swatting, schools and law enforcement agencies need a multi-faceted approach to this problem, including thorough investigations.
Legal Consequences of Swatting
Swatting is a federal crime with serious penalties. In fact, the False Information and Hoaxes statute (1038) is used to prosecute swatting cases. The U.S. government has harsh penalties for swatting and can include life in federal prison, especially if someone is hurt or killed because of the swatting event. After each swatting incident, it is important for law enforcement to conduct a full investigation to find the perpetrator and determine the motive behind the hoax.
False reports often involve claims of killing or imminent violence to get a quick and armed police response. However, someone often gets hurt or even killed during the response. For example, Tyler Barriss made a false emergency call that led to the swatting that killed Andrew Finch in Kansas in 2017. In another tragic case, Mark Herring died of a heart attack during a swatting. These examples highlight how swatting has become deadly and has real-world consequences.
In a significant legal development, 18-year-old Alan W. Filion from Lancaster, California was sentenced to 4 years in prison for making over 375 swatting and threat calls across the U.S. between August 2022 and January 2024. His targets were high schools, colleges, religious institutions and government officials. The calls often involved bomb threats or mass shooting claims and resulted in widespread panic along with an armed police response. Filion, who was 16 at the time of most incidents, pleaded guilty to 4 counts of making interstate threats to injure. This case shows the serious legal consequences of swatting and why we need strong security measures and legal frameworks to stop this dangerous behavior.
The harsh consequences resulting from swatting are designed to deter potential swatters by showing the risks of their actions and what could happen if they are caught. Swatting creates a dangerous situation that can result in injury or death, including the use of deadly force, which is why serious penalties are in place to prevent more incidents.
Preventing Swatting in Schools
Preventing swatting in schools requires a multi-faceted approach that includes technology, proactive measures by the school and specialized training for law enforcement. The police department has an important role to play in developing protocols to handle swatting incidents. Police departments across the country are implementing procedures and policies to prevent and respond to swatting, training officers to recognize hoax calls and coordinating with school administrators. The Interstate Communications Swatting Hoax Act of 2015 has already made swatting a federal crime, but the goal is to address the root causes and prevent the incidents from happening in the first place.
Swatting is dangerous in schools because the police may arrive armed and ready for a potentially violent situation. It is possible that officers will consider innocent people as suspects, putting a person's life and property at risk during these false emergencies. It also affects the well-being of students and staff who may be emotionally traumatized by seeing all the weapons.
After every swatting incident, schools need to revise their crisis management plans and improve communication with the community. For example, students should be educated about the seriousness of swatting and told to report concerns rather than spreading rumors.
Using Technology to Detect Threats
Technology is key to detecting and preventing swatting threats. Visual AI gun detection from companies such as Omnilert provides real-time monitoring to identify threats and ensure a fast and robust response designed to save lives. Omnilert technology analyzes video feed from cameras already installed in schools and can instantly detect a weapon the moment it is brandished.
Omnilert's visual AI gun detection technology has been trained to tell the difference between a real firearm and a replica, or even an object that might look like a weapon. This accuracy reduces the chance of a false alarm. The technology can also initiate a comprehensive response once a threat has been verified. This can include calling the police, locking doors, sounding alarms, sending alerts and more.
When used with other preventative technologies such as metal detectors, bulletproof windows and automatic door locks, visual AI gun detection can keep schools safer than ever before. This also leads to better emotional well-being among students and staff because they feel safe and secure.
Proactive Measures by Schools
With swatting on the rise, it is critical for schools to develop proactive ways to prevent these incidents. One step is establishing strong communication protocols among school staff so that any suspicious activity is quickly identified and reported to the proper authorities. Another tactic involves monitoring social media profiles because attackers often post their plans on various social platforms.
Schools can also create an anonymous reporting system so students, staff and local community members can report a threat without fear of retaliation. These systems help create a culture of vigilance and responsibility that can ultimately lead to a reduction in swatting events.
The Role of Law Enforcement Training
Law enforcement officers and SROs require specialized training to effectively manage swatting incidents. They need to recognize the signs of swatting and be able to distinguish between real or fake threads. Their ability to stop a swatting event or recognize a fake one can have tremendous benefits. For example, if they are confident a threat is fake, they will not initiate a full police response, saving valuable resources for the law enforcement team and saving students from the chaos and disruption caused by a response.
The Importance of Awareness and Education
Raising awareness and education are key to stopping swatting and protecting communities from its serious consequences. It is imperative to educate the public —especially online gamers and social media users—about the dangers of swatting, the legal ramifications, and how to protect personal information. Simple steps such as adjusting privacy settings and not sharing personal details can help someone from not becoming a victim, and recognizing suspicious behavior online can prevent something serious from happening in a school.
It is also important for law enforcement and emergency services to stay up to date with the latest swatting tactics. Officers should be properly trained to verify emergency calls and recognize the signs of a swatting hoax. This training can prevent unnecessary deployment of SWAT teams and eliminate the risk of deadly force being used in response to a false report.
Organizations such as the FBI are also key to awareness and education as they provide valuable resources and community support. By working together, these agencies, along with the schools and local law enforcement, can help stop swatting from escalating into dangerous situations.
Recent School Swatting Incidents and Legislation
There are several recent examples of swatting incidents at schools that show just how common and severe these events can be. In February, a nationwide swatting spree swatted over 30 schools in one day. These swatting attacks caused significant disruptions and panic in schools, highlighting the need to develop proactive measures to prevent such attacks in the future.
2025 School Swatting Incidents:
- East Brunswick, NJ: Swatting at Central Elementary School on June 9. Police responded and investigated, but it was deemed a hoax.
- Barrow County, GA: Swatting led to lockdowns at all Barrow County schools on May 2. This is the same county where an active shooter tragedy occurred in 2024.
- Coconut Grove, FL: Multiple schools in Coconut Grove were on lockdown on May 28 due to a swatting call about a shooting.
- Olentangy, OH: Three elementary schools in Olentangy Local School District were swatted on May 6. Lockdowns and increased police presence occurred.
- Pueblo County, CO: Three schools closed on April 21 due to swatting threats.
Fortunately, schools are starting to deploy layered technology designed to keep students and staff safe from guns and other weapons. This includes things such as visual AI gun detection, metal detectors, automatic door locks, increased onsite security and perimeter fences. By having a comprehensive security infrastructure, schools can be more confident that a weapon has not entered their school, and this could prevent a swatting event from escalating into a police response.
2025 Swatting Legislative Developments
Federal and state governments are trying to stop swatting disruptions. In May 2025, Governor DeSantis of Florida signed 2 bills to combat swatting and increase school safety. The House passed Bill 279, the "False Reporting" bill, which makes it a felony to make false 911 calls that cause harm, with harsher penalties for repeat offenders. This bill also requires restitution to victims and law enforcement.
The Florida Senate also passed Bill 1470, the "School Safety" bill, which expands the school guardian program to include childcare facilities, increases school campus security and requires security guards to be approved by local sheriffs.
Each of these bills is a step in the right direction to address the growing problem of swatting and school safety in schools across America.
Swatting Undermines Mental Health
Swatting can leave students and staff feeling scared and anxious long after the incident and needs to be addressed by school officials.
The stress of swatting calls can have long-term effects on children's emotional and physical health and can lead to PTSD symptoms such as:
- nightmares
- flashbacks
- anxiety
- difficulty concentrating
- emotional distress
Students often feel helpless during swatting situations and this can affect their self-esteem and academic performance. In addition, after a swatting event that escalates into a full police response, the community's perceptions of safety can drop significantly due to the fear experienced by those involved. It is important for schools and local leaders to address these mental health implications and create a supportive and resilient school environment where the community feels their schools are safe places for their children.
How Parents Can Help
Parents play an important role in supporting their children through the stress and anxiety of swatting. This includes having conversations about swatting so they can spot the signs of stress or anxiety and help alleviate fears their child may have about swatting. By having open conversations, parents can help ensure their children understand what swatting is without instilling unnecessary fear.
Parents should encourage children to talk about their thoughts and feelings about swatting so they can help them process their fears. By listening to their emotions and responding to them in a supportive way, parents can build resilience in students.
Summary
Swatting is a serious problem in schools around the country and can put students, staff and emergency responders at risk. Getting educated on swatting includes knowing what they are, how they work and the impact they have on the community. All of this can help prevent swatting in the future. Fortunately, there are numerous security measures that can be put in place to help with this as well. This includes cutting-edge technologies such as visual AI gun detection, better and more proactive planning and training law enforcement on how to manage and identify swatting events. All of these strategies can help change the upward trend of swatting in schools and fulfill your duty of care obligations to provide a safe educational environment for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many more school shooting hoaxes were reported than actual school shootings in 2023?
In 2023, there were 5 times more school shooting hoaxes than actual school shootings.
What is swatting?
Swatting is when someone falsely reports a serious incident such as a shooting to get a significant police response. This reckless and illegal behavior can put lives in danger and divert emergency resources from real threats in the community.
How many schools were swatted in the past year?
Over 500 schools were swatted in the past year. This is a serious problem for school safety and educational disruption.
What are the motivations behind swatting?
Swatting is often done by misguided students trying to get out of responsibilities, social media challenges or even international terrorism.
How can visual AI gun detection help prevent swatting?
Visual AI gun detection is an important layer of technology that schools can combine with other solutions and strategies to keep students and staff safe. Having a comprehensive approach to school safety means that schools can stop weapons from entering their facility and they can be well prepared to respond to a threat if one