Hoax Active Shooter Calls at Schools Pose New Problems

(from NPR) A strange pattern has emerged among hoax calls to U.S. schools, largely in the South, that threaten an active shooter attack. Many of the 113 calls that have happened in the past three weeks appear to be originating from the same source in Ethiopia. The hoaxes in general are called "swatting," a term that refers to calls that falsely report an act of violence in progress or about to occur.  The motive is unclear, but experts say these calls can pose new problems different from false bomb threats. The response must be more extreme, and parents may get nervous and show up on campus with firearms. School leaders are worried that with escalating tensions, a tragedy could unfold. Repeated hoax terrorist calls can also lead to increased anxiety among the school community. 

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