Students at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) were rattled at the start of the fall semester by two separate swatting attempts this week. While the school’s police force determined neither threat was credible, the campus is on high alert for further criminal harassment.
Swatting is the practice of tricking emergency crews into responding to false violent incidents.
In an emailed letter sent to students by UTSA Police Chief Stephanie Schoenborn and Senior Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Dr. LT Robinson on September 27, the university said the calls reported potential incidents at the Main Building and campus housing. An emergency alert was sent out, and students evacuated from the threatened buildings.
“We are thankful there were no actual threats and that our campus remained safe,” wrote Schoenborn and Robinson. “As we do in all significant situations, we will evaluate our response and assess opportunities to further improve how we communicate in a timely manner.”
Swatting has been on the rise at college campuses this fall, according to news website Inside Higher Ed. Although bomb threats have been a nuisance since the ’70s, perpetrators’ techniques are becoming increasingly sophisticated with contemporary technology.
While sometimes a form of thrill seeking, the malicious prank is often meant to chill specific individuals or groups due to ideological differences or hatred for a marginalized group. During the Gamergate harassment campaign in the mid-2010s, women video game creators and critics were frequent targets of false emergency calls. Historically Black colleges and universities, LGBTQIA-plus activists, and politicians from both sides of the partisan divide are among the most common victims.
The reports can sometimes turn deadly. In 2017, a Tennessee incident made international news when a dispute over the online game Call of Duty: WWII resulted in Andrew Finch, a 28-year-old father of two children, being fatally shot by a Wichita, Kansas, police officer.
Although the UTSA incident resulted in no injuries, officials are urging students and staff to remain vigilant, starting by signing up for emergency text alerts and downloading the university’s mobile safety app SafeZone. Parents, family members, and friends can receive guest notifications by texting UTSAGuest to 59713.
Students upset by the recent developments are also encouraged to use mental health resources like UTSA’s Wellness 360 Counseling Services, Timely Care app, or Crisis Help Line. Faculty and staff can access care through the Employee Assistance Program.