Several western Massachusetts schools targeted in ‘swatting’ hoax

(WWLP) – Several Massachusetts schools were locked down on Tuesday after being targeted with hoax threats. This happened just a day after a school in Westfield had received a hoax threat of their own. The FBI is referring to these situations as ‘swatting’ incidents.

These calls can incite a large police presence and even a SWAT team. 22News spoke with a lawyer who says there are major consequences for making these calls.

More hoax threats to schools happening across the state. This time the targets were several schools across western Massachusetts.

“It angers me, to be quite honest with you. I mean, anyone who wants to threaten the safety of children is obviously not right in the head,” expressed Jim Driscoll of Westfield.

In Chicopee, Great Barrington, Greenfield, and Springfield, schools went into lockdown.

Chicopee Police Officer Travis Ordiorne told 22News, “A male party indicated that he was making his way to the high school. He made specific threats to the school which resulted in all of our department being there to investigate those threats.”

But, the threats were determined to be non-credible. The FBI has said they are investigating what they are calling “swatting” incidents. According to the FBI these hoax threats can shut down schools, cause undue stress and fear to the public, and cost taxpayers a lot of money.

The FBI released a statement to 22News saying in part, quote:

“Making a hoax call with the hope that a large number of police will respond to either a persons house or a school, that’s a highly dangerous situation,” said Lawyer James B. Winston.

Local lawyers say making these false reports have proven to be deadly and there are consequences on both a state and federal level.

Winston added, “Providing false information with the hopes of sending armed officers can carry up to five years in prison, but if serious bodily injury results the sentence can increase up to 20 years.”

Winston adds that there are several pending bills at the state house related to the act of “swatting,” and if passed would charge people of manslaughter in the event someone is killed as a result of these hoax calls.

These threats are being investigated and 22News will provide new information as soon as it becomes available.