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Swatting

Police & Fire
Synagogues Victim Of Hoax Bomb Threats In Mass: Police Synagogues Victim Of Hoax Bomb Threats In Mass: Police
Synagogues Victim Of Hoax Bomb Threats In Mass: Police Multiple places of worship were the victims of hoax bomb threats over the weekend, causing police to evacuate homes and close roads until they could investigate the scenes.  An employee at Congregation Sha’aray Shalom at 1112 Main St. in Hingham received an email shortly before 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 19 that said that bombs were inside the synagogue, according to police. The employee left and called 911. Several homes nearby were evacuated, and Main Street (Route 228) was closed in both directions, police said. Explosive detection dogs from Quincy police and Massachusetts State Police …

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by Khier Casino
Police & Fire
West Springfield High Off Lockdown After Hoax Threat Made Against School: Police West Springfield High Off Lockdown After Hoax Threat Made Against School: Police
West Springfield High Off Lockdown After Hoax Threat Made Against School: Police West Springfield High was momentarily put on lockdown Friday, March 3, after someone called in a fake threat about the Hampden County school, officials said. The hoax is the last in a worrying and growing trend called "swatting." West Springfield police said someone called the department's non-emergency line just after 8:20 a.m. to make the threat. Officers responded to the high school within a minute and worked with administrators to begin safety protocols, which included a lockdown.  Police swept the school for threats but found nothing, and they determined the call was fake. School …

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
'Swatting' Hoax Threats Send Multiple Massachusetts School Into Lockdowns 'Swatting' Hoax Threats Send Multiple Massachusetts School Into Lockdowns
'Swatting' Hoax Threats Send Multiple Massachusetts School Into Lockdowns Multiple Massachusetts schools have been forced into lockdowns because of fake gun and bomb threats, otherwise known as "swatting" incidents, over the past four days.  "Swatting" is defined as "the action or practice of making a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address," according to Oxford Language.  These incidents have seen an uptick across the Commonwealth in the wake of the deadly shooting at the Michigan State University on Monday, Feb. 13 in which three students perished. T…

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by David Cifarelli
Police & Fire
Holyoke Mall Victim Of 'Swatting' Bomb Threat By Email Holyoke Mall Victim Of 'Swatting' Bomb Threat By Email
Holyoke Mall Victim Of 'Swatting' Bomb Threat By Email A Western Massachusetts mall was the victim of a "swatting" event when its opening was delayed after receiving a bomb threat by email. The incident took place around 8:50 a.m., Thursday, July 1, when the Holyoke Police Department was contacted by the Holyoke Mall security manager regarding an email that contained a bomb threat against the mall, said Capt. Matthew Moriarty.  Holyoke officers responded along with detectives. The decision to delay the mall’s opening was made to properly assess the email, Moriarty said. State Police were called to assist with the investigation.  The…

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by Kathy Reakes