Swatting Incidents, Calls to School Districts on March 30, All False Alarms
Swatting is when someone makes a fake threat to bring in a large police response to a certain location.
Yonkers Police respond to unfounded report of shots fired at Gorton High School
Shortly before 8 AM, Yonkers Police Headquarters received a telephone call reporting shots fired inside of Gorton High School. Within one minute the first police officer arrived on scene – officers proceeded to search the school which was placed into lockdown and determined that no shots were fired and the school was safe; the call was a hoax. The lockdown was lifted and the school resumed normal operations.
Yonkers Police investigators are working to identify the caller and effect an arrest. Additional hoax calls were made to other schools in Westchester and surrounding counties. At this time there are no credible threats to any Yonkers public or private school, but as always, community members are advised to call us at (914) 377-7900 to report any suspicious behavior – emergencies dial 9-1-1.
More than a dozen school districts in Westchester and Putnam received the swatting phone calls. The schools went into temporary lockdown, but all of the calls were fake.
County Executive George Latimer said the number of calls made to different school districts were darker and deeper than a student involved in a hoax.
In additon to Yonkers, Pleasantville, Chappaqua in Westchester, and Putnam Valley and Brewster in Putnam were swatted.
“The Sheriff’s Office is aware of the recent swatting calls targeting New York State schools, including one in Putnam Valley. The Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the calls, and extra patrols have been dispatched throughout the county to ensure the safety of students and faculty. Sheriff Kevin McConville stated, “currently, there is no threat to any of our schools.” All schools are in session, and we are out there to protect the children, teachers and staff of our schools.
