Anonymous and unfounded threats of an active schooter are causing an increased police presence at some Delaware schools Thursday.
Newark Police said it increased security at schools in their city as they investigate the validity of the threat. They have also been in contact with the Christina School District.
Delaware State Police also tweeted they were investigating threats made to multiple schools.
“There have been no safety concerns identified at this time,” their tweet said. “DSP is actively working with the schools as they initiate protocols to ensure the safety of all students and staff.”
Swatting
Delaware police are investigating whether the threats are legitimate or acts of “swatting” — a prank where someone makes a hoax 911 call while disguising their phone number and its origin, drawing police and often heavily armed SWAT officers to the location of a made-up emergency.
Authorities have said that instances of swatting have spread from a prank among gamers to greater prominence used by white supremacists targeting minorities, as well as others seeking to terrorize public officials.
More: Swatting away prank 911 calls irritating for cops, lawmakers
Swatting suspects face a wide range of penalties for creating a false public alarm, depending on the situation:
- 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine for a fourth-degree charge
- Three to five years in prison and a $15,000 fine for a third-degree charge
- Five to 10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine for a second-degree charge
A former Georgetown resident was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison in late 2020 after he pleaded guilty to five federal counts of making interstate threats and one count of making a false threat involving explosives earlier that year.
His crimes involved a tit-for-tat online fight that saw bomb threats called in by one of his rivals to Georgetown Elementary School, as well as a Walmart in Georgetown in 2018.
More:Georgetown ‘swatter’ tied to local bomb threats sentenced to prison
Are the threats happening nationwide?
Delaware State Police said they are working to find out if this is something that extends beyond Delaware.
Multiple Colorado schools were temporarily placed under a secure status on Wednesday after reports of threats, according to The Denver Post. In Colorado, secure status is different from a full lockdown as doors are unlocked for police investigation and classes resume inside secured classrooms.
Several St. Louis County, Minnesota, schools also received swatting threats on Tuesday, according to WDIO.com — a television station in Duluth, Minnesota. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s office said the calls also went to several media outlets, as well as some police departments directly.
What we know about threats around Delaware
Wilmington Police said Thursday morning that they are at The Bancroft School, located in the 700 block of Lombard St., investigating a threat of violence. While investigators determined the threat to be unfounded, officers will remain at the school throughout the day.
Parents in the Indian River School District received the following message on Thursday:
“This is an important message from the Indian River School District. There is currently an increase police presence at schools in the Indian River School District due to anonymous threats received by the Millsboro and Georgetown police departments on Thursday morning. Similar threats have been received at schools statewide. We have increased security at our schools and police investigations have determined that the threats were not credible. Lockdown procedures have been lifted at the impacted schools and all students and staff are safe. Schools have resumed normal operations thank you.”
Several school districts issued notices on their websites, including Red Clay Consolidated School District which said law enforcement agencies across the state and nation have received false threats of active shooters at various schools.
“Red Clay schools have not received any direct calls or threats,” the message said. “However, Delaware State Police are actively investigating. At this time, there have been no safety concerns.”
State Police said officers are at multiple schools throughout the state conducting patrols to ensure everyone’s safety. They added that no threat has been identified and they are working with the state Department of Education to gather more information.
Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.