MAINE, USA — Schools throughout Maine and across the United States have been targeted by swatting calls on Tuesday, state public safety officials confirmed.
Swatting calls are hoax calls that are made in an attempt to elicit an emergency response.
"On Tuesday morning November 5, 2024, various crisis lines in Maine received threats of armed individuals on multiple school campuses around the state," Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said in a press release. "The Maine State Police are working with our various partners and can confirm these initial calls were swatting incidents intended to provoke an emergency response."
"There is presently no known threat to the students, staff or public at this time," Moss continued. "The Department of Public Safety encourages law enforcement and school leadership to continue to use due diligence when reviewing any new potential threats."
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said some of the high schools that received swatting calls were also polling places.
"Election administrators and law enforcement worked together to make sure voting continued, and it was great to see their success," Bellows said. She added that known polling places impacted include Scarborough, Sanford, Lewiston and South Portland.
Around 10 a.m. Tuesday, the Paris Police Department responded to Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School for reports of a man saying he had a weapon and was outside the school, the department said in a press release. The school resource officer immediately placed the school into lockdown, the release stated.
"A quick search of the surrounding area and parking lot was conducted by law enforcement, and no threat was found," police said. "Initial investigation found that this very same incident has occurred with other schools simultaneously and is found to be a case of 'swatting' and is deemed to be a hoax with no credible threat at this time."
Bangor police said they responded to a swatting call at a local school Tuesday, adding there was no emergency, and all students and staff were safe.
South Portland High School went into lockdown around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday as police investigated reports of an active shooter there. Police put the high school and nearby South Portland Community Center on lockdown. Police also put all South Portland schools in secure mode, with no one allowed in or out of buildings, during the investigation.
The community center is a polling location, and voting was temporarily impacted while no one was permitted to enter the building, city spokesperson Shara Dee told NEWS CENTER Maine.
"Because a line for voting had already formed inside, people continued to vote during the lockdown. There was a roughly 10-minute period when no voting occurred due to the lockdown," Dee said. "Voting continued as normal once the lockdown was lifted and will continue today until 8 p.m. as scheduled."
Police found no evidence of a threat at South Portland High School, and the lockdown was lifted at 12:30 p.m., according to Dee.
Lewiston Public Schools Superintendent Jake Langlais said his school district has increased patrols and is working with police in response to the threats.
Scarborough police said it is actively investigating a threat at Scarborough High School, also believed to be one of the swatting calls.
