US Colleges Targeted in Swatting Incidents, FBI Investigates

Nationwide Swatting Incidents

• 🎯 At least a dozen US colleges were targeted yesterday in swatting incidents, which involve fake emergency calls.
• 🚨 Several of these targeted institutions are historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
• ⚠️ These hoax threats included false reports of racially motivated shootings.

Campus Lockdowns and Law Enforcement Response

• 🏫 Bethune-Cookman University in Florida and Southern University in Louisiana were among those that went on lockdown, with students and faculty instructed to shelter in place.
• 🚓 Law enforcement agencies responded with guns drawn to these false threats, creating a scary and disruptive environment for students.
• 🔍 The FBI is collaborating with local, state, and federal partners to investigate these incidents, stating they take them very seriously.

FBI Assessment and Broader Threat Landscape

• 🚫 The FBI has not found any of the threats to be credible but urges vigilance among students and the public.
• 📈 Law enforcement officials warn that the current threat environment is the highest since September 11th, 2001.
• 📧 A separate bomb threat at the DNC headquarters, received via email on the anniversary of September 11th, was also deemed not credible.
• ⚖️ Capitol police acknowledge that swatting incidents occur regularly, and efforts are underway to hold perpetrators accountable.