Concerns About Swatting in Michigan Grow After GVSU, Marine City Threats

A reported threat at Grand Valley State University is one of multiple recent false emergency incidents in Michigan that law enforcement officials say are consistent with swatting-style activity.

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Threat Deemed Not Credible, No Alert Issued

Grand Valley State University’s Department of Public Safety received an email threat Thursday, April 16, directed at the campus community. Officials later determined the threat was not credible and said there was no need to change operations or issue an emergency alert.

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University police searched a building mentioned in the report as a precaution and confirmed there was no danger. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies were also notified. Officials said there is no ongoing threat.

Incident Consistent With Swatting-Style Activity, Officials Say

The university said it relies on its official alert system to notify students and staff during credible emergencies and urged people to follow official channels for information during an incident.

University police shared in a statement to Facebook,

The Department of Homeland Security refers to this type of false/hoax threat incident as “swatting.” Swatting is a malicious act that can involve placing false emergency calls or sending false threats to emergency responders, often reporting a (false) severe, ongoing crisis at a specific location. The goal of swatting is to provoke a significant law enforcement response, creating chaos and potentially resulting in violence.

Michigan AG Issues Warning After Marine City Swatting Incident

The GVSU report comes as Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a statewide warning after a swatting incident in Marine City over the weekend led to a large police response.

In that case, authorities responded to what was first reported as a hostage situation involving a gunman and threats of violence. Investigators later confirmed the report was false, though the case remains under investigation.

Nessel said swatting, false reports designed to trigger a large emergency response, is a serious crime that can carry prison time and fines up to $20,000.

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“Swatting is not harmless,” Nessel said. “It is a serious crime that can lead to dangerous situations and divert law enforcement away from someone facing an actual emergency.”

Officials say even false reports require a full response and can tie up significant emergency resources. Even so, authorities urge anyone who receives or is aware of a threat of violence to report it to local law enforcement immediately so it can be properly assessed.