2 March 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The state’s top cop is weighting in on the chaos that happened across Kansas when swatting calls were made Wednesday.
Multiple calls came in to different law enforcement agencies around the state. The callers said a shooting was taking place or about to happen at Highland Park High School, Free State High School in Lawrence and at the Manhattan High School West Campus.
“I don’t think this is a prankster, I think this is something more serious than that,” Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said.
These fake calls even happened at other schools across the state.
“One of the problems with these swatting incidences, which is a crime, a very serious crime, is that you create the false impression among law enforcement is that there is a deadly situation,” Kobach said. “So, law enforcement goes in with guns ready to go. It creates a very heightened risk that somebody will be shot or injured.”
Not only do these fake calls add more risk to an already potentially deadly situation, it adds to the emotional toll on first responders. Former Topeka Police Chief Bill Cochran sat down with 27 News to discuss how these incidence can affect law enforcement in the area.
“It really puts a lot of stress on things that we can’t control because mass shootings are a reality that we deal with almost on a daily basis in this country,” Cochran said. “So, then when you throw in the complications of swatting on top of that, you have to assess that call when it comes in as a real event.”
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and other state law enforcement agencies are on the case to find who made these fake calls.
“First thing is we try to determine who it is,” Kobach said. “KBI is very actively engaged, as well as federal partners that we are coordinating with law enforcement partners in other states. In this particular instance, or today’s instance, it appears to be coming from a single source and it appears to not just be affecting Kansas but schools in at least two other states as well.”
If the swatting callers are found, Kobach said this could mean jail time. He said interfering with law enforcement to do their job and relaying a false report can land you up to 17 months in prison per offense.
“We’re deadly serious about this,” Kobach said. “This is a serious felony. We will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”
In the meantime, Cochran said he believes Topeka law enforcement will always be ready for these crimes and any other that come their way.
“I’m very proud of, and I think the current chief is proud of, is we have a very robust training program at the Topeka Police Department,” Cochran said. “And we train constantly with USD-501, police department, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office as well some of our other surrounding agencies.”