Overview

• University of Georgia, University of West Georgia, and Clark Atlanta University received false active-shooter reports on Aug. 29 that triggered brief lockdowns before all-clear notices.
• UGA police determined a report near the main library was a hoax, UWG lifted an alert about a reported man with a gun near Ingram Library after roughly 30 minutes, and CAU confirmed a call with gunshot sounds posed no threat.
• The FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation say they are working with local law enforcement to investigate the Georgia hoaxes and the wider trend.
• The Georgia cases add to dozens of similar reports this month at colleges including the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, University of South Carolina, Northern Arizona University, University of Arkansas, West Virginia University, Iowa State University, University of New Hampshire, and the University of Colorado Boulder.
• Law enforcement and safety experts warn that swatting drains emergency resources and creates danger because responders must treat every report as an active threat.