Overview

• Roughly 50 campuses have received false reports of gunmen and other violence in recent weeks, leading to lockdowns and class cancellations at several schools, including multiple HBCUs on Thursday.
• The FBI says it is investigating the surge alongside local and campus police, and authorities have not announced any arrests.
• The Department of Education says it is closely monitoring the incidents and coordinating support for campus leaders, calling the hoaxes dangerous and resource-draining.
• Nonprofit researchers have linked some recent calls to an online group known as Purgatory within a broader network called The Com, a claim the FBI has not publicly confirmed.
• Dispatch centers are applying guidance to spot red flags such as non-911 calls, misnamed campuses and staged gunfire audio, yet full responses continue to carry real risks, including a midshipman shot during a swatting response at the U.S. Naval Academy this week.