Francis Marion University released an official statement regarding the “swatting call” incident that occurred on campus Sunday evening after students and parents raised concerns on social media over the university not using its emergency messaging system, SwampFox Alerts.
Vice President of Student Life LaTasha Brand Ford and Chief of Campus Police Donald Tarbell sent the statement at 12:05 p.m. Monday by email to students and faculty. The statement explained the call was received by Florence County Central Dispatch on an administrative phone line rather than through 911 or a direct call to FMU Campus Police.
“This was immediately determined to be a hoax. There was no activity whatsoever on campus to validate this report, although area law enforcement officers automatically responded to the notification from Florence County Central Dispatch,” the statement said.
Vice President of Communications Anna Todd provided further explanation to The Patriot. She said that because the call was determined to be a hoax based on its origin, the university chose not to activate the SwampFox Alert system. Todd noted that the University of South Carolina faced backlash on social media after a similar swatting incident led officials there to issue a Carolina Alert and initiate a campus lockdown.
“We use SwampFox Alerts when there is a true emergency situation. In this case it was determined essentially immediately that there was a hoax. If [Campus Police] had chosen to issue a SwampFox Alert, it could have caused some chaos,” said Todd. “Since the USC incident, they have completed extensive training with the FBI regarding swatting and hoax calls.”
Todd also provided an update to WMBF News.
Student Body President Isaiah Davis gave The Patriot permission to use a comment he posted on the university’s Facebook post the night of the incident. He wrote that while he was glad the situation was resolved, he was concerned about what he described as the university’s lack of communication with students.
“I don’t care what the excuse is. I am utterly disgusted with the way this was handled. Oh, but you’ll send out a million different notifications about the career center, or a sports game, or all the tens of millions of other BS that’s going on, but when it’s concerning the safety and well-being of your students we just let it fall through the cracks? Be for real right now and DO BETTER,” wrote Davis.
As students, parents and members of the Florence community await updates as the swatting call remains under active investigation by the FBI, SLED and Campus Police, The Patriot will provide additional information as it becomes available.