We are aware of a series of swatting incidents that have happened in various Colorado school districts today. Swatting is when someone makes a prank call to the police claiming an emergency, and provides a real address for officers to respond. While none have been reported in Erie schools, law enforcement is confirming at least five cases of swatting at schools and other organizations across Colorado. Law enforcement officials in the appropriate jurisdictions are investigating these incidents.
We understand all these situations, whether real or false, are distressing. The Erie Police Department will continue to take any threat seriously and respond appropriately while doing everything we can to prevent false reports. Any potential safety concerns should be reported, no matter how seemingly insignificant.
Students may also call the Safe2Tell program to report safety concerns anonymously at 877-542-7233 or report online at https://safe2tell.org/.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released this statement:
FBI Denver is aware of numerous threats made today to a variety of organizations and institutions across Colorado. The FBI works closely with its law enforcement partners by providing resources and guidance in these investigations and can recommend cases for federal prosecution. While we have no information at this time to indicate a specific and credible threat, we continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share, and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention.
It is important to note that law enforcement will use all available resources to investigate a threat until we determine whether it is real or not. Investigating hoax threats drains law enforcement resources and diverts officers from responding to an actual crisis. More information about the consequences of posting hoax threats can be found on fbi.gov. We urge the public to remain vigilant, and report any and all suspicious activity and/or individuals to law enforcement immediately.