Swatting calls brought lockdowns and quite a scare to several schools across South Florida. NBC 6’s Kim Wynne reports
Multiple South Florida schools were placed on lockdown Tuesday after reports of "swatting" calls.
Pembroke Pines Police officials said multiple officers responded to West Broward High School, which was placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure.
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"We are aware of additional swatting calls which have affected other schools throughout the area, and may be connected to the incident at West Broward High," police said in a statement. "As previously stated, the West Broward campus is secure. We are conducting an investigation into the source of the call."
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At Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, armed officers searched the school as relatives awaited word about students who were locked down inside.
"It's just crazy," said Ina Spencer, whose grandson attends Dillard. "You can't send your children to school any more."
Officials said hoax threats were also made to Flanagan High and Somerset Academy. Broward School Board officials said law enforcement responded to several reports of threats to campuses which caused lockdowns. The schools were later given the all-clear.
"This message is to inform you that this morning, out of an abundance of caution and for the safety of our students and staff, all District high schools were placed on secure status while law enforcement investigated threats to various campuses," Broward County Public Schools officials said in a statement. "At this time, the schools have been cleared. The threats are believed to be unfounded and schools have returned to normal operations."
In Miami-Dade County, there was also a large police presence at Miami Central High School, where there was a reported code red lockdown.
Miami-Dade School Board officials said reports of an active shooter were false, and it appeared to be a hoax threat being called in about several schools.
Miami-Dade Police officials said their 911 call center traced a call they received from outside the United States.
Similar incidents were reported at JC Bermudez High School, Ronald W. Reagan Senior High School in Doral, Hialeah Senior High School and Northwestern High School.
At Reagan Senior High, a large group of parents gathered outside after hearing the lockdown reports.
"Swatting" involves making false 911 calls to provoke large law enforcement responses.
Multiple law enforcement agencies are now working together to determine who was behind this and if it was the same caller at all schools.
"I know the psychological impact can be great sometimes, but we are living in an era where we simply cannot run the risk of having an active shooter on our campus without aggressively handling it," said Miami-Dade Schools Police Chief Edwin Lopez. "Broward County is also being victimized at this time, so it may be either a copycat incident where multiple culprits are responsible, or the same person trying to cause havoc to Dade and Broward, so we are still investigating swiftly.”
Check back with NBC 6 for updates.
