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At least a dozen school districts reported so-called swatting threats on Wednesday morning, Oct. 18, including in the Capital Region and on Long Island, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced.
In Albany County, the Green Island Union Free School District sent an email to parents saying they received a threatening email at around 9 a.m. stating that bombs had been planted on campuses across the state.
Similar messages were received at schools in Saratoga County, and on Long Island, including at Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School.
Threats were also received by schools in Western New York, the Southern Tier, and the North Country, Hochul said.
The term “swatting” refers to a hoax in which someone reports a serious crime - typically a bomb or mass shooting - in order to cause a SWAT team response.
“I want to reassure parents that their children are safe at school - swatting threats are false and intended to cause a panic and scare students, teachers, and families," Hochul said.
She added that she was directing New York State Police to investigate the threats and work closely with local law enforcement agencies to identify the perpetrators and “hold them accountable.”
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