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ROTTERDAM – Several Capital Region school districts reacted Thursday to reports of active shooter incidents that proved unfounded, something happening in school districts across the country.
Mohonasen Superintendent Shannon Shine confirmed his district received one of the calls, specific to its high school. Others included Saratoga Springs, Albany and Troy. Shine said he sent a message to parents, faculty and staff indicating that all were safe.”
“Earlier this morning a number of Capital Region school districts, including Mohonasen, received false reports of active shooter situations happening in their districts and in specific schools,” the Mohonasen email read. “These reports have been confirmed by the Rotterdam Police Department to be false reports. … All students, faculty and staff are safe at Mohonasen and we are currently engaged in regular programming with no restrictions.”
In a message on its website Thursday morning, the Saratoga Springs City School District offered information about a “False Hoax Phone Call.”
“Today (March 30), the Saratoga Springs City Police Department received a fake swatting call about an incident occurring at SSHS,” the district’s message read. “Swatting is a term used to describe a hoax robocall to report a fake crime to emergency responders.
“This call was indicating that there was an event occurring at the high school. Several local school districts received similar calls this morning. Please know that our school is currently safe with no credible threats.”
All of this comes after a shooting in Nashville Monday killed three adults and three children at an area Christian school. Since then, schools and colleges across the nation have been fielding similar calls reporting unfounded threats to their campuses. Computer-generated calls made such claims to schools in Pennsylvania Wednesday, and nearly 30 schools received hoax calls on Tuesday.
In Albany, police spokesman Officer Steve Smith tweeted out a message similar to the one from Saratoga Springs schools about a claim of a threat to the city’s public high school.
“Reports of an active shooter at Albany High School are completely unfounded,” Smith wrote. “All students and staff at the school are safe. There have been several swatting phone calls made across the Capital Region and state and we’re investigating.”
Reports of an active shooter at Albany High School are completely unfounded. All students and staff at the school are safe. There have been several swatting phone calls made across the Capital Region and state and we’re investigating. pic.twitter.com/3dtN92d4NI
— Steve Smith (@APDSmith) March 30, 2023
In Troy, police reported an anonymous caller called about an active shooting incident, but also got the word out that, “THERE HAS BEEN NO CONFIRMED SHOTS FIRED AT THIS TIME. ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE SAFE.”
Troy police also reported that there would be a large police presence there while they investigated and that other schools received similar reports.
There will be a large police presence at the school while we investigate. Multiple area schools have received similar reports.
— Troy Police Department (Troy, NY) (@TroyNYPolice) March 30, 2023
The New York State Police also tweeted that the issue has been happening statewide.
“The State Police is aware of swatting incidents that have occurred across the state, in which a caller states that there is an active shooter in a school. All of the reports are unfounded. We are working alongside our federal & local partners to investigate the threats,” the New York State Police wrote.
The State Police is aware of swatting incidents that have occurred across the state, in which a caller states that there is an active shooter in a school. All of the reports are unfounded. We are working alongside our federal & local partners to investigate the threats. pic.twitter.com/cr4lPfGAFD
— NewYorkStatePolice (@nyspolice) March 30, 2023
The New York State United Teachers Union called the swatting incidents “a new low in callousness and depravity.”
“These swatting attacks endanger our brave members of law enforcement, terrorize children, educators and parents, and waste valuable resources,” the statement said. “We know the FBI and local law enforcement are doing everything they can to catch these perpetrators, and we look forward to the day when they are brought to justice.”
The swatting calls around the Capital Region also came on the same day the state’s Assembly Minority Task Force on School Safety & Security shared its report on how to improve safety in schools.
Some key parts of the report include:
- Increasing police presence in schools, including creating a statewide school resource officer training and certification program
- Addressing mental health needs in schools, including easing qualification restrictions for people who want to get degrees in social work
- Creating a state Division of School Safety and Security that would look at existing safety resources and establish a clearinghouse for that information
- Encourage district to create or utilize anonymous tip lines
State Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh, R-Ballston, was among the Capital Region lawmakers to comment on the report and school safety.
“Our students, educators, administrators and school staff all deserve to feel safe when they enter their respective buildings. I urge my colleagues in the Majority and for Gov. Hochul to engage us on these proposals,” she said, “this is no time for political posturing. As a member of the Assembly Education Committee, and as a mother, I will continue to work with anyone that is willing to prioritize the safety of our children in the classroom.”
Steven Cook contributed to this reported.
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Categories: Email Newsletter, News, News, Rotterdam, Saratoga County, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady County
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There was a false report this morning from SUNY Plattsburgh too. Is there a robo-caller making these?