PARSONS, KS – Law enforcement agencies and school districts across Kansas are on high alert following a series of coordinated “swatting” calls that disrupted multiple campuses on Wednesday afternoon.
Immediate Response to Threats
The chaos began at approximately 1:30 p.m. when the Parsons Police Department received a call from an unidentified male claiming he intended to carry out a shooting at Parsons High School. Similar threats were reported almost simultaneously at Oswego High School and Fort Scott High School, prompting an immediate and massive police response.
In Parsons, officers secured both the interior and perimeter of the high school at 3030 Morton Avenue. USD 503 District staff were quickly notified, and the facility was placed under an immediate lockdown to ensure student safety.
A Coordinated Hoax
As local officers cleared the building, the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center—the state’s primary hub for homeland security intelligence—confirmed that these were not isolated incidents. The center notified Parsons police that similar threats were being received statewide, indicating a large-scale “swatting” incident designed to deceive emergency services into a response.
“The State Fusion Center’s mission is to generate intelligence analysis critical for homeland security and relevant threat warnings. They were instrumental in identifying this as a statewide pattern,” officials noted.
Current Status and Safety
While the lockdown at Parsons High School was eventually downgraded—allowing students to move between classes while remaining indoors—the emotional toll on the community remains high.
Key takeaways from the investigation:
- No Evidence of Danger: Parsons Police confirmed there is no evidence of a credible threat to students or faculty.
- Continued Presence: Officers remained on-site through the end of the school day and will continue to conduct regular checks on district schools.
- Ongoing Investigation: State and local authorities are working to trace the origin of the calls.
Swatting—the act of making a false report of a serious emergency to draw a large law enforcement presence—is a felony in Kansas. Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding these calls to contact their local police department.
