Schools report ‘swatting’ incidents

BETHLEHEM — Multiple Capital Region school districts received bomb threats Wednesday, leading to lockouts and shelters-in-place.

Bethlehem Central School District went into a lockout Wednesday morning after it received an anonymous bomb threat, according to alerts from the district. The lockout was lifted at 11:25 a.m. Bethlehem police swept the schools and determined the campuses were safe.

That same morning, the Albany City School District received an anonymous email that there were multiple bombs in all of the district’s schools, according to a release from Albany police. The investigation remains ongoing, but students and staff were safe Wednesday, the release said. A similar bomb threat was emailed Wednesday morning to the Duanesburg Central School District, which went into a shelter-inplace until 11 a.m. as Schenectady County Sheriff’s deputies investigated, according to a statement from the district. Other districts reporting similar threats included Green Island Union Free School district and Burnt Hillsballston Lake Central School District.

In a statement Wednesday, Bethlehem schools said the FBI Albany Field office is investigating bomb threats sent to schools across the state as swatting, or a false threat meant to draw a police response. Bethlehem police later reported the bomb threat at the district appears to be swatting.

Bethlehem Superintendent Jody Monroe said police would increase patrols at all schools during dismissal Wednesday out of an abundance of caution.

“Once again, we are thankful for the partnership and quick response of the Bethlehem Police Department,” Monroe said in the statement. “We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to keep our students and staff safe.”

State Police said they were aware of swatting incidents occurring across the state with threats that have so far been unfounded.

These threats are happening frequently. East Greenbush schools received similar threats two days in a row during the second week of school last month. Albany has received multiple bomb threats, including one in September that briefly led to the closure of every building in the district. In each case, law enforcement said other schools in other states were also targeted. No bombs have been found after any of the threats.