New Federal Guidance Targets School Campus Swatting

The departments of Education and Justice have issued joint guidance at the start of a new school year, instructing institutions on how to prepare for and respond to swatting incidents.

Swatting refers to falsely reporting an incident of violent crime, such as a shooting, that triggers a law enforcement response to the location. Such false reports disrupt the normal functions of an educational institution, including hampering sensitive research activities and impacting thousands of hours of classroom instruction.

“Schools often respond with shelter-in-place or lockdown orders, which can cause chaos and other harmful consequences when campuses are not well-prepared, including inflicting significant trauma to students, teachers, staff, and families,” the Education Department said in a Sept. 25 statement.

The guidance asked institutions to educate staff members and administrators about the typical characteristics of swatting incidents so they can quickly detect false threats. It recommended that institutions set up procedures so that personnel can first assess the nature of the threat; if the threat is determined to be a hoax, personnel can then work to identify the perpetrator.

One indicator of a swatting call is the use of anonymous email services, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Another sign is the issuance of vague threats.

The joint guidance recommended developing a partnership between campus personnel and external law enforcement to help address anonymous threats. It suggested conducting exercises regarding emergency decision-making protocols for leaders at institutions to familiarize them with such matters.

Swatting calls can be dangerous for both victims and first responders who take action in such events. The callers provide fake information such as a hostage situation, active shooter, or bomb threats, with the aim of triggering overwhelming use of force by law enforcement, which can then end up harming civilians, the guidance said.

In its statement, the Education Department said that school swatting incidents can violate several federal laws, including Title 18 of U.S. Code Section 875, which relates to interstate threatening communications, Section 1038, related to conveyance of false information when the perpetrator knows it to be inaccurate, and Section 844(e), related to bomb threats.

“As these anonymous and false incidents have become more prevalent across the nation, we hope this guidance will help inform institutional responses and support our campus communities,” Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent said in the statement.

In one case of swatting, an 18-year-old male from Oregon was charged with making dozens of fake bomb-threat calls to schools and other entities, according to a May 27 Department of Justice statement. At least 17 high schools in Ohio received bomb threats, which led to several schools being placed in lockdown as law enforcement looked for bombs.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are taking action to counter the threat posed by swatting. Last year, Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) introduced the Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act to tackle the issue.

The bill seeks to impose stringent penalties on people who carry out swatting calls, including a prison term of up to 20 years if anyone is seriously injured as a result of such incidents, according to a January 2025 statement from the lawmaker’s office.

“We can no longer afford to let this dangerous trend go unchecked. This legislation is a critical step towards holding perpetrators accountable, supporting law enforcement, and deterring future incidents,” Kustoff said.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.