CARTERVILLE, Ill. (WJPF) – Six southern Illinois school districts were the targets of a “swatting” hoax Wednesday.
The FBI defines swatting as “calling 9-1-1 and faking an emergency that draws a response from law enforcement—usually a SWAT team.” Calls to schools in Carbondale, Eldorado, Marion, Mount Vernon, Murphysboro, and Vienna began around 10:00 a.m. Wednesday and involved the threat of an active shooter. Schools were placed in lockdown until the threats were determined to be false. In most cases, classes resumed about an hour later.
Illinois State Police say they’re aware of over 20 similar incidents reported at schools across the state. No arrests have been announced.
