The Penn Yan Central School District would like to provide some additional follow up to the events that occurred on our campus this morning. After a thorough investigation, it was discovered that there was no credible threat to staff and students at Penn Yan Academy, or any other building on our campus.
It was determined that Penn Yan schools experienced a “swatting” call forcing a heavy police response and placing our buildings in a lockdown while law enforcement investigated the matter. The Penn Yan Police Department led the investigation with support from New York State Police and the Yates County Sheriff’s Office.
It is important to note that this was not an isolated incident at Penn Yan Academy. Several other schools in New York State recently reported “swatting” threats including Lowville Academy and Central School and Indian Lake Central School.
According to New York State Police Troop E, similar to incidents throughout the state, “the investigation determined that there was no threat to the school and confirmed the incident was a swatting hoax.”
A “swatting” call is when someone calls the school district to falsely report an emergency prompting an immediate response from law enforcement, sometimes including a SWAT team.
We want to ensure our students, staff and school community that Penn Yan Central School District remains a safe place for everyone. When events like this occur it is necessary to allow law enforcement to do a thorough investigation, even if that means a heavy presence on our campus or in our buildings.
We want to reiterate our appreciation for our local law enforcement who acted quickly and swiftly to ensure the security of staff, students and our school district. This situation is an example of how important our collaborative relationships are to keep everyone safe.
Additional questions should be directed to the Penn Yan Police Department.
We thank you all for your patience and cooperation as today’s events unfolded.