Fowler Police say arrest made after false shooting call at high school
FOWLER, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – An apparent fake call about a shooting prompted a perimeter to be set up around Fowler High School Thursday morning, officials say. Fowler Police announced later that day that an arrest had been made and a 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of two felony charges.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office referred to the call as “threatening” and worked with the Fowler Police Department to help secure the campus. However, law enforcement later established that no violence took place and the call appeared to be fake (also referred to as a “swatting” call).
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Deputies say dispatch received the call around 8:30 a.m., describing a shooting that was about to take place at Fowler High School in Fowler. The city’s police department immediately responded as well as deputies with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. The school was also put into lockdown and students and staff were advised to shelter in place.
Officials say the caller later described shots being fired at the school, but staff members at the school say no shots had been fired on campus, no buildings were damaged and no injuries had been reported.
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In a statement, the Fowler Police Department says these hoax calls present a real risk to the
community.
Swatting is illegal and advanced technology allows law enforcement to fully investigate these crimes with the intent to prosecute the individuals that make false 9-1-1 calls.
Police Chief Michael Reid
The name of the person responsible for the call has not been publicly released by law enforcement.
