K-12 School Shooting Database

K-12 School Shooting DatabaseK-12 School Shooting DatabaseK-12 School Shooting Database
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    • Home
    • View Data
      • All Shootings
      • Data Visualizations
      • Swatting
      • Most Recent 300
      • Interactive Map
    • Methodology
    • Contact
    • Media
    • Violence Project
    • Donate

K-12 School Shooting Database

K-12 School Shooting DatabaseK-12 School Shooting DatabaseK-12 School Shooting Database
  • Home
  • View Data
    • All Shootings
    • Data Visualizations
    • Swatting
    • Most Recent 300
    • Interactive Map
  • Methodology
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Violence Project
  • Donate

What is Swatting?

Making false 911 calls to cause panic and trigger a large police response at a venue dates back to the 1970s. In most swatting scenarios, someone makes an elaborate report--shooting in progress with multiple people shot, bombs inside a venue, hostage situation--to dispatch the highest priority police response. 


In 2015, swatting during live streamed video game competitions got mainstream attention. The calls are usually placed through voice-over-internet phone services and with a VPN that renders them nearly impossible to trace. 


A further complication for schools is that anonymous reporting apps have been mandated in many states which gives students an easy way to make a false report without getting caught.

 

There is an established pattern and each instance that generates +100 officers responding to these hoaxes is perpetuating the cycle.


We don’t have the power to stop someone in a foreign country from making 911 calls over the internet. We do have the power to decide how we respond to them.

Find out more

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