Advertisment

Multiple "HOAX" active shooter calls in Michigan

author-image
BNN Correspondents
Updated On
New Update

There have been multiple "hoax calls" of an active shooter around Michigan Tuesday morning. Southern California also had hoax calls Tuesday. Authorities in Michigan say there was no threat to these schools and the children are safe.

Advertisment

Meridian Township Police and Fire Departments have determined there is no imminent threat at Okemos High School after responding to a call for an active shooter Tuesday morning.

Meridian Township Police sent out a message Tuesday, Feb. 7, that everyone in the building at Okemos is safe and that the building has been secure. Schools and law enforcement across the state have noted they’ve received hoax threat calls.

Similar threats were made across the state in Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Muskegon, Saginaw, Detroit, Portage, and Jackson. Okemos evacuated the school and is reuniting parents with children at a nearby church. School officials are working to release students to parents.

Advertisment

Michigan State Police reported Tuesday that it had received several false threats against schools across the state. MSP is not aware of any specific or credible threats to K-12 educational facilities in Michigan.

MSP said multiple law enforcement agencies reported hoax calls that included a caller with a heavy accent stating the school’s name and address. The caller then states they are a teacher in the school, reporting that a student has shot another student inside the school. The teacher then states the shooting occurred in room numbers that are found to not exist.

While the lockdown at Jackson High School was lifted, students and staff at Jackson High School and Jackson Pathways will be released by 10 a.m., Superintendent Jeff Beal said. Other schools in Jackson County, including da Vinci Institute, went into lockdown as a precautionary measure.

Advertisment

“This was a hoax call made by an unknown Google Number,” Beal said. “We understand that this phone call has been sent to other schools across Michigan this morning.”

In Ann Arbor, police received a call about a shooting at Huron High School, with the caller claiming to be a teacher and that a student shot another student in a classroom.

AAPD responded to Huron High School within minutes of the call and conducted a walk-through of the school with staff and found no threats.

Advertisment

“The classroom number the caller also provided does not exist,” AAPD noted. “An officer is staying at the school right now at the request of Ann Arbor Public School staff. We are aware of other incidents at several schools across the state and are in contact with MSP and ATF. At this time, the incident is being investigated as a ‘swatting’ call meant to evoke an aggressive response from a law enforcement agency.

We want to remind the public that a false report of a crime is a very serious offense.”

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said potential charges an individual could face if they make a threat of violence include:

Advertisment

"Communicating a threat of terrorism, a 20-year felony; calling in a bomb threat, a four-year felony; malicious use of a telecommunications device, a six-month misdemeanor; and threatening violence against school employee or student, a one-year misdemeanor."

"Additionally, swatting could result in charges including a false report of a crime, a false report resulting in physical injury, a false report resulting in serious bodily impairment, and a false report resulting in death."

Advertisment
Advertisment