New York School Districts Swept by Wave of Fake Bomb and ‘Disturbing Swatting’ Threats

Over ten New York school districts faced so-called "swatting" threats Wednesday, affecting hundreds of students, with the Governor branding the threats "disturbing."

The incidents usually involve someone making fake calls about a serious crime taking place, often a bomb set to explode on the site, in the hope that a police SWAT team will show up.

In the latest string of this type of incident, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said districts in Western New York, the Capital Region, Central New York, Long Island, the Southern Tier and the North Country were all affected.

"I want to reassure parents that their children are safe at school – swatting threats are false and intended to cause panic and scare students, teachers and families," Hochul said in a press release.

“I have directed the New York State Police to investigate these threats and work closely with all levels of law enforcement to identify the perpetrators, hold them accountable, and restore the sense of safety and security our children deserve."

The governor said that the New York State Intelligence Center was also monitoring the situation, while State Police are prepared to provide support and necessary resources to "address credible threats."

Some districts confirmed the false threats, including Green Island Unified School District, which described it as a "malicious act."

Schools have not been the only target for such calls across the United States, with synagogues and hospitals also hit.

These calls have often involved claims that bombs have been placed within buildings or just outside and they can result in huge police responses which are not actually required, as well as the disruption for hundreds of people at a time.

In June, the FBI announced a swatting database to track threats and sort them from credible ones and while authorities have tracked down some suspects, the issue is ongoing.