A false active shooter report sparked chaos and fear at Claremont McKenna College, marking the second swatting incident in Southern California within a 24-hour period. The incident unfolded on Thursday evening, following a similar scare at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital in San Bernardino County the day before.
The Claremont Police Department received a distress call around 4:45 p.m. alerting them to a potential gunman on the Claremont McKenna College campus. The caller claimed to be holding someone captive in a restroom and threatened violence, further stating the presence of a bomb and intentions to carry out a shooting spree on campus. This alarming call prompted an immediate response from multiple law enforcement agencies, leading to a thorough search of Claremont McKenna College along with neighboring Pomona College, Scripps College, Harvey Mudd College, and Pitzer College campuses. Fortunately, no active shooter or victims were found, allowing the shelter-in-place order to be lifted by 7:30 p.m.
One student, identified as Gabe, shared his harrowing experience during the incident. Engrossed in homework when he received a text alert about a potential shooter on campus, Gabe described witnessing SWAT teams and police officers arriving, urging everyone to evacuate to safety and secure their locations. The sudden shift from academic focus to survival mode encapsulated the fear and uncertainty that enveloped the campus community.
The unsettling situation at Claremont McKenna College mirrored a false alarm at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital the previous evening. A hoax call claiming an armed individual inside the hospital triggered a massive law enforcement response, disrupting operations and causing unnecessary panic before authorities confirmed the threat to be unfounded. San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus condemned the incident, highlighting the strain it imposed on law enforcement resources and the detrimental impact of such malicious pranks.
Swatting incidents, as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, involve false emergency calls made with the intent to harass, intimidate, or retaliate against specific targets. These calls often occur in clusters and can lead to significant disruptions in public safety and law enforcement activities. In a troubling statistic from January 2024, the FBI and National Counterterrorism Center documented over 100 threats to more than 1,000 locations across 42 states within a single month, underscoring the prevalence and severity of swatting incidents nationwide.
The repercussions of such false alarms extend beyond momentary panic, as evidenced by a recent case where a Lancaster man received a four-year prison sentence for making nearly 400 swatting calls to various institutions and officials. The real fear instilled by these hoax calls poses a serious threat to public safety, diverting crucial resources and creating unnecessary chaos in communities already grappling with numerous challenges.
In response to Thursday’s incident, Claremont McKenna College’s Dean of Students, Jimmy Doan, acknowledged the fear and uncertainty experienced by students and faculty. Taking proactive measures, the college initiated a location tracking system to ensure the safety of individuals on campus and provide support during the crisis. While classes were canceled during the incident, Pomona College announced plans to resume normal operations on Friday, emphasizing the availability of counseling services and mental health resources to assist students in coping with the aftermath of the incident.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of the swatting incident, the need for vigilance, resilience, and solidarity in combating such malicious acts remains paramount. The false reports may be fake, but their impact on individuals and institutions is undeniably real, underscoring the importance of fostering a culture of safety, awareness, and support in the face of adversity.
