Swatting incident leads to schools on lockdown in Butler County

An apparent swatting incident forced several school districts in Butler County to go on lockdown Wednesday. A swatting incident is a hoax 911 call that leads to high-risk police responses. 

The Butler Township Police Department said around 10:45 a.m., the department and Butler Area School District received multiple phone calls referencing a report of an armed person and an active threat at the school.

"It happened whenever I was in fifth period. The announcements came on, and it said we're in a lockdown drill. Nobody knew what was happening. Not even the teacher," student Jaymar Hernandez told KDKA-TV on Wednesday. 

The incident prompted the district to use a modified perimeter lockdown while police investigated the alleged threat.

"The initial report prompted an immediate and coordinated law enforcement response. Officers responded to the school and surrounding area, established a secure perimeter and conducted a thorough search of the building and grounds," said Brian Barnhart, the Butler Township police chief.

"It was all just chaos," Hernandez said.

Parents said they were notified by the district about the lockdown right away.

"I was at work, and I started getting text messages from the school saying it was a lockdown. And then I got a message from the principal saying you can come pick your kids up. So, I left work and came up," parent Jackie Soliday said.

Parents said it was a hectic afternoon as they sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic trying to pick up their kids. 

"It took me about two hours to get from this light up to the school," Soliday said.

Some parents chose to park and walk to get to the school and safely take their children home.

Soliday said that while the school kept them informed, little information was given about what the perceived threat was.

"They said they had no information to give right now, but they would notify us as they got more information," Soliday said.

Neighboring districts were also placed on lockdown, including Freeport Area School District, which left a voicemail for parents about what was happening.

Police said after completing an initial investigation, officers determined there was no active threat to students, faculty or staff and no evidence of an armed individual inside the buildings or on the school campus. Barnhart said investigators are currently working to identify whoever is responsible for making the false report.

"I'm just happy everybody's safe and that nothing happened today," Hernandez said.