<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2gigOK_0vkX2AB600" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2gigOK_0vkX2AB600" width="1320" height="743" ><p>Local authorities are trying to find the people responsible for making what turned out to be false threats against Central Texas schools. Stephen F. Austin High School in Central Austin received a threat on Wednesday and the day before, a 9-1-1 caller said a shooting was going on at San Marcos High School.</p><p>These types of threats are coming in all across the country. The New York Times reports it reviewed news accounts, law enforcement statements and court records and found 700 cases across the country in just the past three weeks. And they all need to be checked out by local law enforcement, especially when the caller says it's happening right now.</p><p>Trained dispatchers have to decide quickly whether a call is for real. In San Marcos the school resource officers immediately took action and city police were on the scene within three minutes.</p><div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eHZFaKEHy20?si=pJhFBgYNOwfPKxLz" frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div><p>At the same time, investigators were already looking into the source of the call. Turns out, it was a hoax from an out-of-state number believed to be involved in at least two similar hoaxes across the country in a crime known as 'swatting.'</p><p>San Marcos Police Chief Stan Standridge explains, “Swatting is ultimately defined as causing an immeasurable response by a law enforcement agency. It did just that. All other calls for service ceased throughout the city."</p><p>All those resources dispatched to an incident that wasn't real. Austin High School had a similar threat against the school on Wednesday.</p><p><b>PREVIOUS COVERAGE |</b><b>'Swatting' incident at Austin High triggers police response, call originated from Florida</b></p><p>And it's happening elsewhere here in Texas and across the country. In Kerrville, a 10-year-old boy was arrested and charged with a felony after posting online threats against a local middle school.</p><p>Authorities say they can't ignore the calls. The next one could be the next Apalachee High School in Georgia where earlier this month a young shooter killed two students and two teachers.</p><p>Schools are reminding their students of the importance of reporting anything suspicious. And to try to stop the copycats-- authorities are reminding everyone that, at the state level these threats against schools are a felony, and at the federal level, this is five years of confinement.</p><p>So from a law enforcement perspective, this is not a prank.</p></div></body>

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'Swatters' keeping law enforcement busy with fake threats against schools

Local authorities are trying to find the people responsible for making what turned out to be false threats against Central Texas schools. Stephen F. Austin High School in Central Austin received a threat on Wednesday and the day before, a 9-1-1 caller said a shooting was going on at San Marcos High School.