Letter from Clemson police after false active shooter prank |
Clemson officials released a letter about their procedures and protocols after a call of an active shooter on campus on Thursday, which was found out to be a horrible prank called "swatting":
Dear Clemson Community: On Thursday evening, Clemson University was the target of a “swatting” incident. “Swatting” is a harassment technique which attempts to generate a law enforcement response under false pretenses. Last night, members of Clemson University Police Department (CUPD) responded to a report of two individuals with weapons in the vicinity of Cooper Library and, subsequently, Cribb Hall. Anytime a situation like this occurs, it rightfully creates questions surrounding response protocols and procedures. This case is no different and it is important for CUPD to address those concerns and be transparent with our community. Therefore, I hope this message provides some clarity. At 8:32 p.m., CUPD’s Emergency Communication Center received a transferred call from Clemson City Police. The caller advised he was under a bus and there were two individuals with rifles wearing trench coats near the library. The caller stated he does not go to school here, so he did not know his location. He then disconnected the call. CUPD dispatched units to Cooper Library at 8:33:25 p.m. We did not receive any other calls or sightings at the library or surrounding area. When dispatch reconnected with the caller during the response and he indicated he was near the scene, the dispatcher attempted to identify his location; however, noticed there were no sirens in the background of the call, which were prevalent based on the number of officers responding. The first two CUPD officers arrived and entered the library at 8:34:49 p.m. and did not see any indicators or stimulus that supported an active threat; library was in normal operations. Responding officers spoke with students and staff at the library and there were no issues reported. Additionally, responding officers did not locate any buses in the area. There were a total of nine CUPD and Clemson City officers on the initial response. Other mutual aid responders were enroute, but cancelled once the call was determined to be false. Due to the quick arrival of officers and recognition that no threat existed, a determination was made that a safe alert was not needed and could create unnecessary panic, so one was not issued. At 8:52:45 p.m., the caller reconnected with dispatch and said he was now in Cribb Hall and could still see the individuals. Even after verifying the call at Cooper Library was false, officers responded to Cribb Hall to confirm the area was safe. Due to the nature of the police response on our campus and the number of individuals who observed or encountered officers, two safe alerts were issued to notify individuals why officers were in the area and that the call was false. After the safe alerts were sent, officers worked with the resident assistant and community director at Cribb Hall, and maintained a presence at Cooper Library, to answer questions and explain the situation. While we understand questions will arise regarding response and notification protocols, I hope this information clarifies how the department responded and why an initial safe alert was not disseminated. I can assure you we will evaluate this situation and identify any opportunities for improvement. CUPD takes seriously its responsibility for the safety and security of students, staff, and faculty who make up our community. I can, without hesitation, say that campus safety and well-being is our top priority — and that will never change. Sincerely, Greg Mullen Associate Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Traditionally, the first message for this kind of threat isn’t “don’t worry we’ve already handled it” pic.twitter.com/FKTVUmFB4y
Upgrade Your Account
Unlock premium boards and exclusive features (e.g. ad-free) by upgrading your account today.
Upgrade Now
