COTTONWOOD, Ariz. — Cottonwood police are investigating a "swatting" prank that resulted in several officers responding to a local school Wednesday afternoon for false reports of a shooting.
The police department said a call was made shortly after 1 p.m. reporting an alleged shooting at the school, located near Willard Street and Mingus Avenue.
After schools in the area were put under soft lockdown measures, police realized the call was a hoax and had allegedly been made by a student. Investigators believe the situation was a "swatting" incident, which involves someone making a false report of an emergency to elicit a heavy police response.
All students and staff are safe and the police investigation is ongoing.
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