A large police response was triggered at the University of Utah on Wednesday evening after officers received what turned out to be a false report of a violent crime inside a campus residence hall.
University Police were alerted at 7:31 p.m. by the Salt Lake City Police Department about a non-emergency call claiming that a man had stabbed his girlfriend inside Kahlert Village, a major on-campus housing complex. The caller also threatened to “shoot up the school” if police did not respond within 20 minutes.
Campus placed under shelter-in-place
Police immediately issued a shelter-in-place order, sweeping the dormitory floor by floor and escorting students out as a precaution. After an extensive search, officers found no victim and no evidence of any credible threat, according to university officials.
The university confirmed that the incident fits the pattern of at least two other swatting hoaxes reported at U.S. universities earlier the same week. Swatting involves making a false emergency report to prompt a heavy police response and is treated as a serious offense.
“These incidents cause panic and draw police resources away from legitimate calls for service,” officials said in a statement.
No injuries, no arrests
Campus police declared the area safe later that evening. No injuries were reported, and no arrests have been made as investigators work to identify the person behind the hoax call.
Students and staff are encouraged to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to campus authorities. For emergency guidance and campus safety resources, visit the University of Utah Department of Public Safety. National information about swatting and reporting cyber-enabled threats is available via the FBI.
