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CBS News
27-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
California lawmakers seek tougher penalties for "swatting" calls
A state senator from Southern California is seeking tougher penalties for hoax 911 reports after two "swatting" calls triggered massive law enforcement responses at a college and hospital this month. "This bill is going to tackle that loophole where you don't need to mention a person and it's still against the law," state Senator Susan Rubio said. "Swatting" is when someone knowingly submits a false report, typically posing as a witness to an active shooter, hostage, or home invasion situation. The caller often tries to coax law enforcement to send the largest response possible, including a SWAT team, according to the National 911 Program. Swatting or making a false report of an emergency can be charged with a misdemeanor or felony, depending on if the report was likely to kill or seriously hurt someone, according to the California Penal Code. Currently, California law requires perpetrators to threaten specific people in order to be prosecuted. Rubio's SB-19 would also make it a chargeable offense if a suspect makes credible threats of mass violence at schools, hospitals and houses of worship. "Our children deserve better. Our students, our communities deserve better," Rubio said. "Hopefully, this will send a strong message." Two weeks ago, students at Claremont McKenna College sheltered in place after someone reported a hoax hostage situation where they had planted a bomb inside one of the campus' bathrooms. "Everyone was kind of running around and leaving campus," student Talia Holzman said. "It was scary." A day before the hoax at Claremont McKenna, dozens of San Bernardino County deputies and officers from neighboring agencies swarmed the Loma Linda University Medical Center after a false claim of an active shooter inside of the hospital's pediatrics building.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Police investigate swatting incident Thursday evening at Marshfield Medical Center
MARSHFIELD − Marshfield police are investigating an apparent swatting call late Thursday night after a man claimed he had multiple bombs and a gun at Marshfield Medical Center. According to a police report, a call came in at about 10:53 p.m. Thursday that a man called the hospital and said he had six bombs in the hospital, and he was outside with a gun in route to the emergency room to shoot people. The man said he was from Marshfield and then claimed he was already inside a bathroom in the emergency room with pipe bombs and a gun, according to the report. Officers arrived to the emergency room and cleared the area and did not find anyone, according to the report. Officers then cleared the area with a bomb-sniffing dog and no explosives were found, according to the report. Officers made contact with the man identified as the suspect who had been at work at the time and cooperated with police, according to the report. Police Chief Jody Geurink told a Marshfield News-Herald reporter Friday morning officers confirmed there were no bombs or any real threats to anyone. The investigation remains active, Geurink said. John Gardner, director of communications for Marshfield Clinic Health System, told a Marshfield News-Herald reporter the system appreciates law enforcement's prompt response in investigating the matter, and there was no disruption to patient care. Lorrie Krokstrom, the administrative services supervisor at the Marshfield Police Department, told a Marshfield News-Herald reporter Friday afternoon that according to police records, Marshfield officers were on the scene until 12:43 a.m. Friday. Swatting is a form of harassment where a person makes a false or malicious report to public safety, causing authorities to respond to a location where no emergency exists. "Often, the law enforcement response is substantial, with police confronting the unsuspecting victims at gunpoint, only to learn that there is no real emergency," according to the National 911 Program. Swatting incidents have surged in recent years with threats being made to high-profile political figures, religious institutions, schools and hospitals. More Marshfield news: 3 charged with stealing $114,550 in ATM 'jackpotting' theft from Marshfield credit union USA TODAY contributed to this story. Contact Caitlin at cshuda@ or follow her on Twitter @CaitlinShuda. This article originally appeared on Marshfield News-Herald: Bomb threat at Marshfield Medical Center: No one hurt in swatting call
CBS News
14-03-2025
- CBS News
Detectives launch investigation into swatting call that forced Loma Linda hospital to evacuate
Authorities are still investigating the swatting call that forced the emergency evacuation of Loma Linda University Medical Center due on Wednesday evening. The call was made at around 6 p.m. to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, where dispatchers say the suspect told them "he was in front of Loma Linda Hospital armed and also had a bomb. He also stated he wanted to kill people and was planning on 'shooting up' everyone in the hospital.' A massive amount of law enforcement responded to the hospital campus, which is located in the 11000 block of Anderson Street in Loma Linda, where they assisted with evacuating people from inside of the medical center. Among the hundreds of officers and deputies on scene were also SWAT team personnel, all visible with SkyCal overhead as the scene developed. The hours-long ordeal finally came to an end at around 8:15 p.m., at which point authorities said that the hospital had been cleared and no threat had been located. They determined that the incident was a false report, sometimes referred to as a "swatting call." "Swatting" is when someone knowingly submits a false report, typically posing as a witness to an active shooter, hostage, or home invasion situation. The caller often tries to coax law enforcement to send the largest response possible, including a SWAT team, according to the National 911 Program. SBSD detectives are already working on identifying and locating the suspect, working in hand with the FBI. They say that they already have some evidence, but declined to offer further information. "Law enforcement officers responded from two counties taking away their ability to handle emergency calls in their own communities. Patients and their families were subject to much more trauma than they were already going through," said SBSD Sheriff Shannon Dicus in a statement. "Terrified hospital staff went above and beyond to protect the patients. All of this caused by a hoax to falsely portray a catastrophic event. We are going to use every means necessary to identity the suspect or suspects responsible for this heinous crime and hold them accountable." Anyone who knows more is asked to contact detectives at (909) 387-3545.
USA Today
13-03-2025
- USA Today
Apparent 'swatting call' directed at Southern California hospital prompts large response
Apparent 'swatting call' directed at Southern California hospital prompts large response Show Caption Hide Caption What is 'swatting'? How to recognize and respond to online harassment This video explains the dangerous online harassment tactic known as swatting. It defines the trend, outlines its risks, and provides actionable steps, including remaining calm, contacting law enforcement, and securing your online presence. Authorities rushed to evacuate a hospital in Southern California on Wednesday night after receiving reports of a possible shooter, which law enforcement later determined was an apparent swatting call. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said on X at around 6:30 p.m. PST that it was aware of reports of a possibly armed suspect at the Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. The reports prompted a massive police response as authorities worked to clear out the facility. Shortly after 8 p.m. PST, the sheriff's department reported that "no shots have been heard" and advised the public to "avoid the area due to heavy law enforcement presence." Television footage and photos shared on social media showed law enforcement vehicles blocking traffic on surrounding streets. KABC-TV reported that a test message alert was sent to students on campus and in the medical buildings nearby, stating: "This is not a drill: Initiate immediate protective actions. If confronted with a threat, RUN, HIDE, FIGHT." The sheriff's department later said the incident appeared to be a swatting call and that the area would soon reopen. "Loma Linda Hospital has been cleared," the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a statement on X. "There are no reported injuries, and the incident appears to be a swatting call." The hospital is affiliated with Loma Linda University, a private university in Loma Linda, California. The city is part of San Bernardino County. The Excerpt: Swatting reports are increasing. Why are people making fake calls to police? What is swatting? Swatting is a form of harassment where a person makes a false or malicious report to public safety, causing authorities to respond to a location where no emergency exists. "Often, the law enforcement response is substantial, with police confronting the unsuspecting victims at gunpoint, only to learn that there is no real emergency," according to the National 911 Program. Swatting incidents have surged in recent years with threats being made to high-profile political figures, religious institutions, schools, and hospitals. Last month, a Southern California teenager was sentenced to four years in prison for making hundreds of swatting calls. A Southern California man was also charged in May 2024 for making swatting calls, in which he threatened to commit mass shootings and bomb a Tennessee airport. (This story was updated to add new information.)
