Alameda Police Respond to a Swatting Incident at Encinal High School

Published on April 17, 2024

Alameda, CA – April 17, 2024 – At approximately 12:56 pm today, the Alameda Police Department received a call reporting a hostage situation at Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School, allegedly involving two students and an AR-15 style rifle. We believe the calls placed to APD were likely a swatting incident. A swatting incident is when someone makes a false call to emergency services with the intention of generating a large police response to a specific location.

APD officers were immediately dispatched to the campus. Upon arrival, neither students nor staff were aware of any such activity described by the caller. APD contacted school administrators and a campuswide lockdown was initiated. Additionally, nearby Ruby Bridges and Paden Elementary schools were advised to shelter in place.

In close coordination with school officials, APD conducted a thorough search of the entire campus. At approximately 2:15 pm, officers completed their search and determined no suspicious activities or individuals were present. Subsequently, the lockdown and shelter-in-place advisories were lifted, and students were released for the day.

Again, our preliminary investigation suggests the calls placed to APD were likely a swatting incident.

The safety and security of our students, faculty and staff remain our top priority. The Alameda Police Department would like to thank the Alameda Unified School District’s faculty and staff for their support during this incident.