Active shooter call at Utica elementary school a hoax

UTICA — An active shooter call at Hugh R. Jones Elementary School in Utica on Thursday was a hoax and no one was in any danger, according to the law enforcers at the Utica Police Department.

Sgt. Michael Curley said an “unknown individual” called the 7-digit emergency line at the 911 Center and claimed that an active shooter was at Jones Elementary on Remington Road at about 12:20 p.m.

Curley said the school was placed in lockdown as officers went to the scene.

“It was quickly determined that it was not accurate,” Curley explained. “It was a false call,” and possibly an instance of “swatting,” where an offender targets another person or location by falsely calling in a SWAT team-level emergency.

The sergeant said the students and staff “acted remarkably” and stayed calm during the investigation, which lasted about half an hour at the school.

The investigation into the caller remains ongoing, he added.