AUSTIN, Minn. – All 13 schools in the Austin school district went into lockdown after a 911 call purporting that an active shooter was at an elementary school. The call turned out to be a hoax. But taking no chances, school Superintendent Joey Page ordered a system-wide lockdown for 5,000 students. Within minutes, police broached Banfield Elemehtary School, which was where the 911 caller said a person was about to enter the building with explosives and a firearm. The call was punctuated with what sounded like gunfire. The call was at 9:53 a.m. Banfield has 435 students in Grades One to Four. The lockdown was called off as soon as police determined the threat was not credible. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been a team to investigate
Targeted school. Photo from an October day.
“Swatting”
Eighteen minutes before te 911 hoax in Austin, the same call was made 20 miles to the west, claiming Halverson Elementary School in Albert Lea was being attacked. Grade school classes in Albert Lea, however, were not in session because the day had been set aside for parent-teacher conferences. Albert Lea has eight schools and 3,500 students. Albert Lea police have had three “swatting” incidents this school year. The term “swatting” is new to the language. It means a threat that activates a police response with a SWAT team of armed officers, sharp-shooters and bomb technicians.