Officers and SWAT respond Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, to the Blackburn Terrace apartments at the intersection of 30th Street and Baltimore Avenue on the northeast side of Indianapolis. 36-year-old suspect Lamon Moore, facing a felony gun charge, was apparently left unattended inside the Criminal Justice Center as the jury deliberated and Moore walked out of the building and into a car outside, according to Fox59.
California – A recent 911 call to the Claremont Police Department caused panic across Claremont McKenna College, triggering a massive response from law enforcement and SWAT teams. The call reported a bomb threat and an active shooter on campus, prompting students to hide in fear. However, it turned out to be a hoax, a “swatting” attempt—one of several that have disrupted communities across the country.
This incident came just one day after a similar threat led to a lockdown at Loma Linda University’s Children’s Hospital. Swatting, a growing problem across the state, involves making false 911 calls to generate a heavy law enforcement response, often causing chaos and panic. California’s current laws, however, make it difficult to hold perpetrators accountable for the disruption they cause, particularly when threats are made against institutions rather than individuals.
State Senator Susan Rubio, who is spearheading Senate Bill 19 (the Safe Schools and Places of Worship Act), is pushing for tougher penalties for those who make hoax threats against places like schools, hospitals, and religious institutions. Rubio’s bill would close a legal loophole, allowing authorities to charge individuals who threaten mass violence even if they don’t name a specific person.
Assemblymember Darshana R. Patel (D-San Diego) is also backing legislation—Assembly Bill 237—that would extend this coverage to daycares, workplaces, and other critical institutions. “Threats against schools, hospitals, and places of worship are not just empty words; they cause real harm,” said Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy. “This bill gives law enforcement the tools they need to hold people accountable for instilling fear and wasting valuable resources.”
A key motivator for both bills came from a disturbing case involving Shoal Creek Elementary in San Diego. A man sent hundreds of emails threatening a mass shooting at the school, but the case was dismissed because the threats didn’t target an individual. Although authorities later refiled the case naming the school principal as the target, the incident revealed a significant gap in the law. Shoal Creek parent Jenny Basinger testified in favor of AB 237, saying, “We are the entity. We are Shoal Creek.”
The FBI reported over 100 separate threats targeting more than 1,000 institutions in just one month in early 2024. Jewish community centers, schools, and hospitals were among the primary targets. These hoaxes often result in dangerous interactions with law enforcement and leave lasting emotional trauma on victims.
Although California has made strides in addressing swatting, the challenge remains in identifying the perpetrators. Modern technology allows swatters to mask their identities, making it harder to prosecute them under current laws. Nonetheless, local officials, like Claremont’s Bevin Handel, are determined to press charges against those responsible for the recent hoax at Claremont McKenna College.
As both proposed bills make their way through the legislature, lawmakers are aiming to ensure that hoax threats don’t go unpunished, offering a clear message that these dangerous pranks will not be tolerated.
