Swatting incident at Alameda High School

At approximately 2:59 pm today, the Alameda Police Department received a call from a crisis hotline counselor. The counselor advised they received a chat message from an unknown individual claiming to be in a restroom with a gun with the intention of causing harm. Simultaneously, Alameda High School received a similar message. We believe the initial messages to the hotline were likely a swatting incident. A swatting incident is when someone makes a false claim with the intention of generating a large police response to a specific location.

APD officers were dispatched to Alameda High School. Upon arrival, APD contacted school administrators, and a shelter-in-place advisory was initiated. In coordination with school officials, APD conducted a thorough search of the entire campus. There were no intruders located on campus. At approximately 3:53 pm, officers completed their search and determined no suspicious activities or individuals were present. Subsequently, school administrators lifted the shelter-in-place advisory, and students were released for the day.

Our preliminary investigation suggests the communication APD and AHS received was 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 Alameda High School and Alameda Unified School District’s faculty and staff for their support during this incident. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding from AHS students and parents while officers ensured the campus was safe.