Likely swatting incident locks down campus for almost an hour
On Tuesday, October 15, at approximately 2:59 p.m., Alameda Police Department (APD) received a call from a Veterans Affairs crisis hotline counselor stating that a chat message had been received from an unknown individual claiming to be in an Alameda High School restroom with a gun with the intention of causing harm. According to information released by the City of Alameda, the high school received a similar message at the same time.
“We believe the initial messages to the hotline were likely a swatting incident,” stated a press release published on the City of Alameda website and on Facebook. “A swatting incident is when someone makes a false claim with the intention of generating a large police response to a specific location.”
APD officers were dispatched to Alameda High School and arrived at approximately 3:20, according to an Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) report. Upon arrival, APD contacted school administrators, and a shelter-in-place advisory was initiated. In coordination with school officials, APD conducted a thorough search of the entire campus. No intruders were found on the campus.
“All students and staff were safe throughout the investigation,” the AUSD report stated. “In these situations, our schools first secure students and staff through protocols such as a shelter-in-place or lockdown and notify law enforcement. They also notify the District Office, who sends staff to help, centrally manages logistics and communications, and monitors security cameras to help the investigation.
At approximately 3:53 p.m., officers completed their search after determining that no suspicious activities or individuals were present. Subsequently, school administrators lifted the shelter-in-place advisory, and students were released for the day.
“We currently believe this was a swatting incident, in which someone makes a false emergency call in an effort to get a police SWAT team to respond,” the AUSD report stated, echoing the APD statement. “Multiple school districts across the country have received a similar call this week. Nevertheless, we take every threat seriously and will always follow safety protocols in these situations.”
The AUSD report emphasized that “these types of incidents can be deeply concerning to all involved, and we regularly conduct drills so that students and staff can practice their response to them.”
AUSD thanked Alameda High School students and staff for quickly complying with the shelter-in-place directions and APD for their “very swift and thorough response.” Likewise, APD thanked Alameda High School and AUSD faculty and staff for their support during this incident. “We appreciate the cooperation and understanding from AHS students and parents while officers ensured the campus was safe,” their press release stated.