Police receive false threat of shooting at Dixon High School

DIXON – The Dixon Police Department received a false report Wednesday morning that a student had been shot at Dixon High School in a “swatting” attempt.

“Swatting” is when a prank call is made to emergency services so that a large, armed police presence responds to a certain place.

At 8:33 a.m., the department received a call to the non-emergency line from a man with a foreign accent claiming a student had been shot, police said in a news release. The telecommunicator continued asking questions, and it was difficult to understand the caller.

“Due to the caller’s response to the questions, it was very clear that this caller was attempting a ‘swatting’ situation at Dixon High School,” according to the release.

The Dixon High School administration and school resource officer conducted a search of the school and didn’t find any student who had been shot.

“With any comment or threat, the safety and security of our students and staff is our utmost priority, and we take any threats with the utmost seriousness,” the release said.

The phone call is being investigated, and those with information can call 815-288-4411.

Similar false shooter threats were made in Freeport, Rockford and Springfield, the release said.

The Illinois State Police issued a report Wednesday afternoon that detailed how extensive the swatting attempts were. According to the news release, there were 21 calls in 19 counties. Counties reporting calls to schools were Champaign, Cook, DuPage, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Lee, Macon, Madison, Marion, McLean, Morgan, Peoria, Pike, Saline, Sangamon, Stephenson, Williamson and Winnebago.