Swatting and School Threats Hit Multiple Local Schools
MAX TRAN News Editor
Rosemead High School was on active shooter lockdown on Sept. 19 after authorities ordered the school to protect students and staff during an active investigation. According to the Pasadena Star-News, it was shortly after the sheriff’s department received a call from a man who claimed to be armed with an AR-15 and was driving to the high school.
Authorities swarmed the school and searched every room for a shooter. There were roughly 30 deputies, a few sargeants, a helicopter unit and a number of other officers at the campus. The threats of an alleged shooting were eventually deemed as pranks, or swatting calls, by around 3 p.m. and the lockdown was lifted.
“It’s disrespectful to put people’s lives in jeopardy,” senior Dominique
Chavez said. “I hope they get punished for what they did because that’s not right.”
On the same day, another school faced a similar situation. According to The Mercury News, a call came in around one hour after the one from the alleged man driving to Rosemead High School. The person calling claimed that a student armed with a rifle was inside a bathroom in San Gabriel High. It resulted in the Alhambra Police Department to arriving at the school and putting it on lockdown as well.
“You’re creating fear where there shouldn’t be fear,” Math teacher Judy Maggio said, “It seems really sad that students need to resort to doing something like this… as a prank.”
On Oct. 9, parents at AHS were notified at around 8:15 a.m. of a school threat from the night before. The Alhambra Police Department was notified of an email threat to the school and the administrators and the district were contacted.
“Alhambra PD is working in conjunction with the District to determine the source of the threat,” The email and call to parents said. “Today APD is providing extra patrol and visibility on and around campus to ensure the safety of all students and staff.”
At 11:45 a.m., another email/call was sent to parents. It said that the Alhambra Police Department had obtained no evidence of a credible threat, but that they would maintain their presence on campus for the rest of the day.
There was a law passed in the state senate in 2013 to increase penalties on false swatting calls. According to NBC News, Ted Lieu, one of the sponsors of the bill, also became a victim of swatting. The legislation took effect on Jan. 1, 2014. It fines swatters up to $10,000 for each call.