Apparent 'swatting call' directed at Southern California hospital prompts large response
Authorities rushed to evacuate a hospital in Southern California on Wednesday night after receiving reports of a possible shooter, which law enforcement later determined was an apparent swatting call.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said on X at around 6:30 p.m. PST that it was aware of reports of a possibly armed suspect at the Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. The reports prompted a massive police response as authorities worked to clear out the facility.
Shortly after 8 p.m. PST, the sheriff's department reported that "no shots have been heard" and advised the public to "avoid the area due to heavy law enforcement presence." Television footage and photos shared on social media showed law enforcement vehicles blocking traffic on surrounding streets.
KABC-TV reported that a test message alert was sent to students on campus and in the medical buildings nearby, stating: "This is not a drill: Initiate immediate protective actions. If confronted with a threat, RUN, HIDE, FIGHT."
The sheriff's department later said the incident appeared to be a swatting call and that the area would soon reopen.
"Loma Linda Hospital has been cleared," the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement on X. "There are no reported injuries, and the incident appears to be a swatting call."
The hospital is affiliated with Loma Linda University, a private university in Loma Linda, California. The city is part of San Bernardino County.
What is swatting?
Swatting is a form of harassment where a person makes a false or malicious report to public safety, causing authorities to respond to a location where no emergency exists.
"Often, the law enforcement response is substantial, with police confronting the unsuspecting victims at gunpoint, only to learn that there is no real emergency," according to the National 911 Program.
Swatting incidents have surged in recent years with threats being made to high-profile political figures, religious institutions, schools, and hospitals. Last month, a Southern California teenager was sentenced to four years in prison for making hundreds of swatting calls.
A Southern California man was also charged in May 2024 for making swatting calls, in which he threatened to commit mass shootings and bomb a Tennessee airport.
(This story was updated to add new information.)