WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Schools across Tennessee resumed normal operations Tuesday after false threats forced more than a half dozen schools into lockdown Monday. La Vergne High School was placed on lockdown for the second consecutive day Tuesday before being released after authorities determined the threat was fake.
No arrests have been made in connection with the calls.
Retired FBI agent Scott Augenbaum says there is a chance no one will face charges for a long time.
"These calls are very difficult to track down at the local level. The bad guys in numerous cases are overseas. They're using virtual private networks which anonymize their location," Augenbaum said.
The calls are known as swatting — a form of hoax threat designed to trigger a large law enforcement response. Franklin High School and Page High School were among those placed on lockdown Monday, along with Smyrna, La Vergne, and Holloway High School in Rutherford County.
Augenbaum said schools and businesses are not the only targets. Swatting calls are also causing SWAT teams to respond to private homes, and many of these calls originate from online gaming disputes.
"When parents have these conversations with young children — do you know who they're talking to? Do they realize it's something as simple as a game they're playing could cause a lot of damage," Augenbaum said.
He explained that fake online phone numbers are used as a retaliation or intimidation tactic, and that calls can be made from overseas. When law enforcement is dealing with international jurisdictions — or potentially minors — charging someone becomes especially difficult.
"A majority of these calls are being made over voice over internet protocol phone numbers, which are phone numbers anyone can register online," Augenbaum said.
Williamson County resident Anita Durst witnessed the fear swatting calls created in her neighborhood firsthand.
"I'm all for Call of Duty, Fortnite, all of those different games that young people play and older people play, like me," Durst said.
But learning how swatting calls can originate from the same games she plays with her grandchildren has made her more attentive to what they are playing and saying online.
"If your children have that tendency or that nature, get them some help," Durst said.
"You're a teaching person when you're a parent, so get started," Durst said.
Augenbaum said it is important for parents to talk to their children and stress how critical it is not to share personal information online, especially in gaming chat rooms.
Experts say swatting is a growing trend.
"Swatting is a really serious form of pranking," Augenbaum said.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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