Minnesota schools, Jewish facilities targeted in swatting incidents

MN schools, Jewish facilities targeted in 'swatting'

More than two dozen schools and several Jewish facilities were targeted by an apparent swatting attempt.

(FOX 9) - More than two dozen schools and several Jewish facilities were targeted in "swatting" incidents on Wednesday, the Minnesota BCA reports.

A swatting is typically a false call to authorities by a bad actor intended to trick police into a heavy response to a targeted spot. People have been killed in the resulting confrontations set in motion by these calls.

As of 3:45 p.m., authorities say 25 schools and nine Jewish facilities received "almost identical" email messages involving shooting and bombing threats. Law enforcement quickly determined the threats weren't real. Now investigators are working to identify the person who sent the messages.

The Minnesota Fusion Center is tracking the reports. The BCA says there aren't any other reports of similar swattings in other states.

In 2022, several Minnesota schools were targeted in a rash of swatting calls. This past spring, a Canadian man was arrested and charged with making those calls and many others across the nation.