For the third time in the past week, Cobourg police have responded to a ‘swatting’ incident at a local high school, along with a fourth incident at a local public school.
At around 10 a.m. on Monday (April 20), police officers responded to a report of threats at St. Mary Catholic Secondary School in Cobourg.
The school was placed on hold and secure as police conducted an investigation, which included a search of the building. Police did not locate anything suspicious and no physical injuries were reported. Police released the hold and secure and cleared the scene at around 10:50 a.m.
Last Friday morning, Cobourg police also responded to a report of threats at the same high school and conducted a search of the building. No students were at the school at the time as it was a P.A. day and police found nothing suspicious during the search.
Police responded to the first report of threats at the high school last Monday morning, placing the school in lockdown. After searching the building, police did not find anything suspicious.
That incident was followed last Tuesday by a report of a threat with a weapon at C.R. Gummow Public School in Cobourg. Police placed the school in lockdown and searched the building. After failing to find a weapon, police determined there were no immediate threats to the school and lifted the lockdown.
Police believe all four incidents are linked and are instances of the criminal act of swatting, where someone reports false or misleading information to police to prompt an emergency response, often to someone’s home, business, or school.
The term “swatting” comes from SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), which are specialized police units trained to respond to high-risk situations like hostage crises or armed standoffs. Swatting emerged in the early 2000s within online communities, especially competitive gaming and internet forums, when disputes escalated into real-world harassment.
Because police treat all reports of threats or potential dangers to community safety seriously and respond accordingly, swatting can potentially lead to property damage, trauma, injury, or even death.
“These calls divert critical police and emergency resources and place officers and community members at unnecessary risk,” states a media release from the Cobourg Police Service. “Anyone found responsible for swatting incidents can face serious criminal charges.”
Police established that last Tuesday’s incident at C.R. Gummow Public School in Cobourg was linked to an overseas phone number.
Police are continuing to investigate the incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact Cobourg police at 905-372-6821 or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or at stopcrimehere.ca.
On Monday afternoon, the Cobourg Police Service provided an update on the investigation, revealing for the first time that the swatting incidents have extended beyond the schools in question.
“Over the past ten days, police have responded to numerous swatting incidents at local schools, residences, and businesses in Cobourg,” the media release states. “Based on information currently available, investigators believe these incidents are linked to online exploitation and extortion of youth, originating through interactions on social media, gaming, and online chat platforms.”
The release adds that the Cobourg police’s criminal investigation bureau is continuing “to actively investigate and is working in collaboration with external law enforcement partners, including the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), to identify those responsible.”
“We recognize the fear and disruption caused by large-scale emergency responses, particularly in sensitive locations such as schools, and we appreciate the community’s ongoing patience and understanding as we manage these impacts and work to bring those responsible to justice,” states Cobourg police chief Paul VandeGraaf in the release.
“We want to reassure parents, students, and community members that police will continue to respond to all reported threats with urgency and care to ensure the safety of our schools and community. We encourage youth and families to talk openly, access available supports, and report concerning behaviour.”
The release also includes a statement from Stephen O’Sullivan, director of education for the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board, and Paul Brown, chairperson of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.
“The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our highest priorities,” O’Sullivan states. “While the recent ‘swatting’ incidents have been deeply disruptive and distressing for our school community, they have also highlighted the incredible resilience of our students and the professionalism of our staff … We remain fully committed to supporting the police in their investigation to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
“In the event of a threat or emergency response, we rely on the expertise of local police partners to ensure a coordinated approach that supports the safety and protection of students,” Brown states. “We recognize that these situations are distressing, and we appreciate the partnership of families and the cooperation of students and staff in following established safety protocols.”
The original version of this story has been updated with an update on the status of the investigation from the Cobourg Police Service.
