Schools from Buffalo to the North Country were targeted Thursday by “swatters,” people making fake emergency calls to bring law enforcement racing to the scene. In each case according to New York State Police, police agencies were called by someone saying there was an active shooter at a particular local school building. In each case, police and sheriff’s deputies had to check out each building, disrupting the morning’s lesson plans. In each case, no emergency was found.
The schools included Brighton High School and Brockport High School in the Rochester area. Deputy Brendan Hurley of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said someone, somewhere, is trying to cause mass chaos and panic. Both schools had to be searched with students locked in place, and no issues were found.
Schools in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts were hit earlier in the week.