False threat

False threat ---
Terroristic Security Incidents by Category |Timeline

False gunman or bomb threat

Causes terror without actually injuring people. Generally no motive even when suspect is found

Year 2014

$7,000 fire damage 20 false threats. 1 church arson, 1 arrested December 12, 2014 Gregory Louis Knox Church Arson False Threats Suspect Gregory Louis Knox was seen hanging around St. Mark Evangelical Church in St Paul, and had thefts traced to him after he applied for jobs. He is alleged to have set a fire that was reported 7:20 a.m. on Friday, and had earlier been charged for falsely reporting 14 shootings, fires, assaults and burglaries, and reporting one fire he apparently set at his ex-girlfriends house.  caused more than $100,000 in damage

Year 2013 18 incidents at schools, colleges, workplace

1. December 16, 2013 Harvard Science Center Bomb Scare Four buildings at Harvard University were evacuated and morning final exams were canceled Monday after the school said it had "unconfirmed" reports of explosives. Eldo Kim, a Harvard sophomore was charged in relation to the threat and could face a maximum five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine under bomb hoax laws. Kim used an application to generate an anonymous IP address that is difficult for law enforcement to trace, but authorities established he had used Harvard networks to access the service. Kim told authorities he was “motivated by a desire to avoid a final exam." 
2. Nov 13, 2013Flemington gunman report turns out false Lockhaven Express 8 a.m. as a report of a gunman looking for drugs at a Flemington doctor's office. It allegedly turned out to be an intoxicated man making up a story and calling 911 
3. Nov 12, 2013 Under Armour headquarters evacuated after false gunman report
4. November 4, 2013 Central Connecticut State University Lockdown For Armed Camo Pants Man Police responding to reports of an armed man in a residence hall, swarmed onto the campus of Central Connecticut State University New Britain which was under a three hour lockdown. Police arrested a 21-year-old student David Kyem who turned out to be the son of CCSU geography professor Peter Kyem. The student apologized for his Snake Eyes costume from G.I. Joe as his tactical vest, camouflage pants, mask, sword and handgun 
5. Nov. 1, 2013 Police respond to school after false gun report A false report of a firearm drew a heavy police response Wednesday to Citadel High School in Halifax. 
6. October 30, 2013 False report of gunman puts College of the Desert on high alert PALM DESERT, Calif. - A false report of a gunman at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert on lockdown 
7. Oct 22, 2013 Chardon: Bomb threat forces Walmart evacuation - WKYC 
8. Dry Ice Bomb Shuts Down LAX Terminal October 14, 2013 At Los Angeles International Aiport, terminal 2 was closed after a bomb constructed from dry ice and a 20 oz plastic bottle exploded in an employee-restricted restroom at about 7 p.m, delaying about four flights until 8:45 p.m. after the LAPD bomb squad investigated and cleared the scene. The next day another bomb went off in a restricted employee bathroom. 
9. Oct 3, 2013 Bosnian Shuts Down Florida Airport with Fake bombZeljko Causevic Charged Over Bomb threat 
10. July 3, 2013 Antioch College: False gunman report led to lockdown wkyc.com YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio Antioch College says an employee of its adjacent nature preserve admits making a false report about a gunman that led to a lockdown at the small, private school in southwest Ohio. 
11. April 21, 2013 Wal-Mart and Home Depot Get Caught Up in U.S. Bomb Scares a Wal-Mart and a Home Depot in Auburn were ... Wal-Martindicated they received a threat that suggested a bomb in the store. 
12. False report of campus gunman brings lockdown at U-Va. U-Va.’s College at Wise. ... During that interview, the student confessed that the report was false, Student Charged A University of Virginia at Wise student accused of falselyreporting a gunman on campus is facing federal charges. Bryant Alexander Hairston … the 20-year-old Martinsville resident last week with falsely summoning law enforcement officials... Hairston is accused of calling 911 shortly before 9 p.m. on Jan. 23 and reporting that he had seen a gunman on campus. The call prompted university officials to place the school on lockdown. 
13. Sep 27, 2013 - Bomb threat prompts cancellation of classes at temple city high school Deputies on Friday arrested a 17-year-old Temple City High School student for calling in three bomb threats at two schools. The most recent ... 
14. Teen Arrested After School Bomb Threat at Lakeland Highlands Oct 17, 2013 
15. 13-year-old arrested for calling in"prank" bomb threat at school Mar 5, 2013 - The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff Austin Daniel says a 13-year-old 8th grader was on school grounds when he called in a prank bomb threat 
16. Arrest made following bomb threat at Walmart - Beckley, Bluefield ...Oct 13, 2013 - A man is under arrest after a bomb threat at an area Walmart 
17. Phone Tap Leads To Student In Carlynton Bomb Threat ..arrest of a Carlynton High School student who officials say has admitted calling in a bomb threat last month from a telephone inside the school. The Pittsburgh Press - Mar 21, 1988 
18. Lexington teen charged with calling in bomb threat to high school Nov 4, 2013 - LEXINGTON — A teenager was arrested and charged with making a bomb threat at a high school.
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Year 2012 4 incidents

1. December 19, 2012 California college goes in lockdown after report of gunman San Jose City College went into lockdown Tuesday evening following the report of agunman on campus. A call to police around 4:30 p.m. warned of a gunman in the Technology Center on the San Jose City College campus... [no gunman or caller found] several false reports of gunmen and other threats of violence at schools have occurred. On Monday, a school about 20 miles away from the Newtown shooting location went on lockdown after someone reported that a pedestrian was carrying a rifle near the school. The same day school security locked down a Pennsylvania high school over another umbrellamistaken for a gun. 
2. 'Bored' 13-Year-Old Calls in Bomb Threat to Dollar General Jul 23, 2012 
3. False gun report prompts Vista HS lockdown | UTSanDiego.com Apr 24, 2012 · A report of a gun on campus that led to Vista High School being put on lockdown Tuesday was determined to be false, the Sheriff’s Department said. 
4. False Report of Man with Gun on MIT Campus MIT Campus Police continue to investigate, seek information from public 2/26/2013. On Saturday, February 23, 2012, ..This report was received via an internet relay used to allow persons who may have hearing or speech impairments to communicate 
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Year 2008

May 2008

http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/threats.html

School Threats, School Violence Rumors, School Text Message Rumors, and Threat Assessment

Managing school hit lists, school death plots, school bomb issues, school violence rumors, school text message threat rumors, and related school safety and security threats.

The 2007-08 school year saw an unusual number of K-12 school threats which were accelerated by text message rumors.  A number of these incidents resulted in the shutting down of schools by school officials, a practice which is not highly recommended as a first and/only step by school safety experts when the threats are very vague. 

A sample of 28 incidences of school threat rumors, vague threats, heightened security due to threats and school closings reported during the 2007-08 year include:

• May 2, 2008: Daytona Beach, FL
  More than two-thirds of the student population of a high school were absent due to rumors of Columbine-like violence that was rumored to occur on May 2nd.  The rumors accelerated due to a threat scribbled on a restroom wall on April 21st.  Extra police officers were on-hand.  Rumors reportedly had spread throughout the area with several other schools reporting high absenteeism reportedly from 36% to 46%.
   
• April 29, 2008:  Guthrie, OK
  Four additional police officers were hired, in addition to one officer already assigned to the school, at a high school after a threat was found on a bathroom wall threatening to kill black students and blow up the school. 
   
• April 29, 2008:  Alton, IL
  School officials reduced access to the high school, refused to allow students to carry book bags and large purses, stationed additional deputies at the school, required students to wear IDs, prohibited students from being in the hallways during class time without an escort, sent automated messages to parents and took other measures to heighten security after an unspecified written threat was found at the school.  
   
• April 25, 2008:  Pinetops, NC
  A metal detector and 15 deputies greeted students who arrived to their high school after the school's principal contacted the sheriff's department the day before following student reports of rumors that someone was going to bring a gun to school the next day.  
   
• April 21, 2008: Columbia, TN
  Massive absences took place at several Maury County Schools after rumors spread via text message over the weekend of a gang shooting following the funeral of two individuals associated with a Columbia gang who had been shot to death.  School officials reportedly said that nearly 70% of students were absent from one high school.  They said that 551 and 459 students were absent from another high school and another middle school, respectively. 
   
• April 21, 2008:  Winchester, KY
  Parents reportedly flocked to a high school after a student sent a text message to a parent that students were bringing guns and knives to school, which school officials subsequently said was erroneous.  The rumors may have been stemmed from a weekend fight involving students and non-students.  Numerous students reportedly went home early.
   
• April 21, 2008:  Clark County, WA
  Rumors spread by text messaging after what authorities called an "ambiguous threat" was found on a bathroom wall in a high school.  About 10 callers that had received the text message notified police on 4/20/08 of a rumored threat of a shooting to occur at the high school at 11:00am on 4/21, but police and school officials  said this rumored information was not what was indicated in the bathroom wall threat, the exact details of which they would not disclose.
   
• April 18, 2008:  McMinnville, TN
  More than one-third of a county middle school's student body stayed home or left early after threatening graffiti was found on a boys' bathroom wall the day before and information started spreading by cell phones and text messaging.
   
• April 17, 2008: Calumet City, IL
  An entire suburban Chicago school district with five elementary schools and one middle school was shut down after a threat was found on a restroom wall.  Police determined the threat to not be credible.  Multiple other schools in the Chicago area reportedly had also been closed or evacuated due to threats.
   
• April 16, 2008:  Lodi, CA
  Approximately 450 of a high school's nearly 2,000 students did not come to school after text messaged rumors of a gang shooting to occur at the school spread through cell phones the day before.  
   
• April 14 2008:  Chicago, IL
  Four suburban Chicago high schools and elementary schools were closed, along with St. Xavier University, after a threat was received at St. Xavier University.  Nothing occurred. 
   
• April 7, 2008:  Ft. Wayne, IN
  Police and security personnel were a part of heightened security at three Ft. Wayne schools following rumors, text messages and other rumors of a potential shooting following gang murder and other violence in the community over the Spring break when school was closed.  
   
• March 26, 2008:  Norman, OK
  Security was heightened at a middle school after staff found a threatening message on a restroom wall before spring break indicating a shooting would occur 6th period on March 26th.  An additional officer was assigned to the campus 
   
• March 25, 2008:  Comstock, MI
  Students at a high school were dismissed early after a note that threatened gun violence was found in a restroom around 8:45am.  The school was put on a lockdown as police converged on the school.  Students were released before 1:00pm and all after-school activities were cancelled.  At least one parent reported that she waited in the parking lot while her son was text messaging her.  Metal detectors were brought in and students were checked for weapons.  No weapons were found. 
   
• March 20, 2008:  Ackley, IA
  A message on a locker room wall claiming that a gun would be brought to school and students would be shot resulted in all but one entrances being locked and a metal detector put into operation at a high school. 
   
• March 20, 2008:  Temecula, CA
  A message scrawled on a restroom wall that threatened someone bringing a gun to school resulted in heightened police presence and about 25 more absences than normal at a middle school. 
   
• March 19, 2008:  Suwanee, GA
  A 16-year-old male high school student was charged in connection with rampant text messaged rumored threats that spread through a high school campus suggesting there was going to be a shooting. Nothing happened, but about 40% of the students were absent from the school.  Rumors also spread through two other schools.
   
• January 31, 2008:  St. Charles, IL
  About 50 percent of a high school's students were absent after a threat had been scrawled on the wall of a school restroom earlier in the week.  School officials sent out mass parent notifications the day before but apparently all parents did not receive the message about the threat due to "human error" with the message system, according to school officials.  
   
• January 29, 2008: Belleville, MI
  School officials cancelled "Spirit Week" and a winter homecoming dance after fears of violence following a series of fights.  The school also rescheduled basketball games after rumors of gang violence.
   
• December 20, 2007:  Detroit, MI
  An elementary-middle school was evacuated after receiving multiple threats. Several threatening phone calls were made to the school beginning around 10:30am.  Police were called after the third call. Students reportedly had to wait outside in the cold while the building was being searched.
   
• December 18, 2007:  Lakeland, FL
  Rumors of a shooting caused school officials to close a high school one day early before the beginning of winter break.  All extracurricular activities and classes were cancelled. 
   
• November 7, 2007: Medina County, OH
  Cloverleaf High School was closed for the day after school officials found two graffiti threats on two bathroom walls. Police dogs searched the school and the school was monitored by law enforcement.
• October 26, 2007:  Portsmouth, VA
  A high school was locked down for over an hour following a call made to police that claimed there was a person with a gun inside the school.  No such person was ever located.  
   
• October 5, 2007: Ashville, NC
  School officials had 20 police and metal detectors at a rival football game due to concerns of potential gang activity following a gang-related shooting which seriously injured a 12-year-old earlier in the week in the community.
• September 28, 2007: Munster, IN
  Classes for the following Monday were shut down by school officials at a Catholic school due to potential safety concerns associated with a funeral of a gang member being held at the funeral home next to the school. 
• September 25, 2007: Canton, PA
  Schools were shut down for the remainder of the week due to threats made by what the superintendent described as five males. Two males, ages 15 and 16, were arrested as of this report and the investigation was ongoing.
• September 19, 2007: Emerson, NJ
  Twelve northern New Jersey schools closed after a letter threatening to blow up the schools at 11:30am was received.  Police and dogs searched over 60 schools. 
• September 7, 2007:  Trenton, NJ
  Two emailed bomb threats sent to the district's central office caused school officials to evacuate all 32 of its school sites, some for up to an hour. 
  
  

There were also at least 12 foiled plots during the 2007-08 school year that were clearly very serious.  These include:

• April 24, 2008:  Lakewood, OH 
  A 33-year-old suburban Cleveland male was arrested and subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit murder based upon an alleged plot with a 16-year-old male high school freshman from the South Bend, Indiana, area to do "Columbine-style" attacks at his school and at another unidentified school at the same time..  The 16-year-old was arrested earlier in the week after a school officer found writings on the Internet about this plot while investigating another unrelated threat. 
   
• April 23, 2008: Louisville, KY
  Two middle school students, ages 13 and 14, and a 19-year-old male non-student, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with a plot to kill another 13-year-old middle school student.  Police reported the plot had been underway since March and was to be carried out the following weekend.  The investigation began after a tip was made to the school.  The principal sent home letters to parents about the incident.
   
• April 20, 2008: Chesterfield, SC
  An 18-year-old male high school senior was arrested in connection with a plot to conduct a bomb attack on his school. The male reportedly had detailed his plans, which included his suicide, in a journal that included maps of the school. Parents called the police when 10 pounds of ammonium nitrate was delivered to their home and they found their son's journal.
   
• April 3, 2008: Cleveland, OH
  Police responded to a charter school for a "hit list" that included plans to blow up the school, according to reports. While police were at the school, security officers told them they saw a student hide a gun near the school. Police went to a nearby house and found a loaded handgun.
   
• April 1, 2008:  Waycross, GA
  A group of up to nine male and female third graders reportedly were involved in planning to kill their teacher.  Individuals involved brought broken steak knives, handcuffs and other items to the school.  Police reported that the plot contained specific roles were certain participants. No one was injured.
   
• March 5, 2008:  Trenton, NJ
  A 22-year-old male was charged and a 17-year-old male high school student admitted for mental health evaluation in connection with what police described as a "military-style plot" to attack the student's high school to kill students and teachers.  Surveillance reportedly had been done to identify escape routes.  
   
• December 5, 2007: Cedar Rapids, IA
  A 14-year-old male was arrested and later adjudicated for a Columbine-style plot to shoot individuals at his middle school. 
   
• October 29, 2007: Peachtree City, GA
  A 16-year-old female high school student, and a 15-year-old former student who was home-schooled at the time, were arrested in connection with threats posted on MySpace.com which indicated they wanted to shoot people at the school.
• October 26, 2007:  Tulsa, OK
  Police arrested an adult male who told a suicide counseling that he wanted to shoot up a high school about 20 minutes or so outside of Tulsa.  The male was taken into custody for a mental exam.
• October 15, 2007: Cleveland, OH
  A 13-year-old female K-8 school student was arrested after a school security officer confiscated a five-page note that listed teachers and a student the female wanted to shoot.  Police found a gun at the house of an aunt and uncle where the girl lives.  The girl claimed to be the girlfriend of the male who shot two teachers and two students, and then killed himself, at a Cleveland school the week before this incident.
• October 10, 2007: Plymouth Meeting, PA
  A 14-year-old male was arrested for planning a Columbine-like attack and stockpiling a mass of weapons.  Police reportedly found a 9mm semi-auto firearm, .22-caliber handgun, .22-caliber rifle, .32 caliber handgun, bomb-making instructions, videos of the Columbine attack, and other items.  Police subsequently arrested the boy's 46-year-old mother for buying some of the weapons for her 14-year-old.  A student and his father reportedly notified police when they learned of the plan.
• August 4, 2007:  Keizer, OR
  Four 15-year-old males and one 13-year-old male were arrested and charged in connection with an alleged plot to threaten their high school with a bomb when classes started in the fall.  The plot was discovered when police arrested the five youths after a break-in at their high school where they allegedly stole chemicals such as ammonium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide, chemicals reportedly cited in publications on how to build bombs.
   

The incidents above illustrate both the need for threat assessment protocols and caution to manage rumors, as well as the importance of treating threats seriously as there are legitimate foiled plots in addition to the many rumors.

A sample of 28 incidences of school threat rumors, vague threats, heightened security due to threats and school closings reported during the 2007-08 year

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