School “Swatting” on the Rise Across the US
(Daily360.com) – “Swatting” is when someone calls law enforcement to make a false claim with the hopes of sending masses of armed policemen to a location. The dangerous prank not only uses emergency resources that someone else might need, but the event might also end with injuries or deaths. Sadly, swatting has now become prevalent in American schools.
On November 4, Fox News reported the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) said there were at least 60 such instances in just over a month. The calls that happened across 30 states claimed school shootings were taking place. The threats have been particularly alarming given the frequency of active shooters in learning institutions.
Parents, siblings, and loved ones are breathing a sigh of relief knowing Mariner High School students are safe. A swatting call, claiming six people were shot at the school, came in on Thursday afternoon. DETAILS: https://t.co/fnjdyzeCVK pic.twitter.com/tj4JuzQNUd
— Kaitlin Knapp (@Kaitlin_Knapp1) November 4, 2022
These instances have their victims, too. NASRO Director of Operations Mac Hardy said swatting is unhealthy for children especially. Even if proven false, school shooting threats trigger a “fight-or-flight” stress response for all involved. The event also instills fear because the experience only highlights the possibility of an actual attack.
In addition to the psychological effects on every person in the school and their families, another problem could arise — wearing out the police. Although Baltimore County Superintendent George Roberts said that authorities treat every call as a “real threat,” swatting is “taxing” on law enforcement.
Copyright 2022, Daily360.com
