ABERDEEN, S.D. (KFGO) — About 15 minutes before a threat was make toward a Fargo high school, a similar threat was made against a school in South Dakota.
Aberdeen Police say says a call came in just after 1 p.m. Friday. The caller told dispatch they had multiple firearms and were going to Aberdeen Central High School to cause harm to staff and students.
The school was immediately locked down, and law enforcement responded. As officers arrived, a second call came in, saying an armed person was seen walking towards to school.
Law enforcement searched the school and surrounding areas, and found nothing suspicious. Police checked security footage and talked to people in the area, and no person matching the description was seen.
After investigating, officers determined the first number was spoofed, meaning the caller used a fake number to hide their identity. Police believe the threat was a ‘swatting’ call, where the caller’s intent is to cause chaos and confusion while eliciting a large police response.
The FBI is assisting with the investigation.
A similar threat was made to Fargo North High around 1:15 p.m. Friday. The high school, as well as nearby Washington Elementary and Ben Franklin Middle School, were locked down.
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