COLUMBIA, S.C. — Law enforcement officials in South Carolina are intensifying calls for legislative action to address increasing incidents of hoax emergency calls, known as “swatting,” that disrupt school environments and cause significant distress among students and staff.
During a recent hearing on campus safety at the State House, police chiefs from various colleges and universities across the state urged lawmakers to implement stricter laws against these deceptive calls. The officials emphasized the urgency of the matter, highlighting that every reported incident requires a full response from law enforcement, using resources that could be stretched thin.
Kimberly Spears-McNatt, Clemson University’s Associate Vice President of Public Safety, articulated the dilemma. “Each time we face these calls, we must treat them as real emergencies, which diverts valuable resources from other critical needs,” she told a House Education and Public Works subcommittee.
Several officials, including a captain from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, spoke in favor of increasing penalties for those responsible for such hoaxes. They expressed the belief that harsher regulations might deter offenders who initiate emergency calls, sometimes from locations as distant as other states or countries.
Captain Brandon Landrum from the Protective Services/Emergency Management Unit suggested that laws should incorporate meaningful consequences for offenders. “We need legislation that carries real weight,” he noted.
These concerns heightened following a recent hoax incident at the University of South Carolina, where emergency calls about an active shooter led to a lockdown and a rapid law enforcement response. Subsequent investigations linked the incident to a group operating online, identified by the Attorney General as an “online teen crime group” named Purgatory.
The challenge of swatting in South Carolina has been notable, particularly after a series of similar calls targeted numerous schools across the state in October 2022. This alarming trend left many in the educational community anxious and prompted discussions about improving safety protocols.
Patrick Kelly, a government teacher at Blythewood High School, reflected on the lasting trauma from such events. “Three years after a swatting attack at our school, students are still affected by it,” he revealed, emphasizing the ongoing psychological impact.
Last year’s crises prompted the introduction of bills aiming to criminalize swatting in South Carolina. Although these measures did not advance and ultimately expired, legislators are contemplating reintroducing the topic during the upcoming session.
Rep. Shannon Erickson, R – Beaufort, and chair of the House Education and Public Works Committee, acknowledged the need for clarity regarding penalties for these emerging crimes. She stated, “As this issue becomes more prevalent, we need to determine what appropriate repercussions should be in place to discourage such actions.”
Lawmakers are set to revisit this topic when they reconvene in January. Meanwhile, federal laws exist that can address swatting, and the U.S. Department of Justice has successfully prosecuted offenders, including those located abroad.
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