Claremont, Calif. — Tension and fear swept through Claremont McKenna College on Thursday evening, March 13, 2025, after reports of a potential active shooter were issued, only to reveal later as another dangerous prank commonly referred to as a "swatting call." This incident marked the second such occurrence of swatting within 48 hours across Southern California, following similar alarming reports at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital.
The saga began at around 5 p.m. when the Claremont Police Department received emergency calls, leading to immediate action. The reports claimed someone was holding another individual captive at Claremont McKenna, threatening them with harm, and even mentioning bombs and firearms. Responding quickly, Campus Safety alerted the college community to shelter in place just before the alarms rang out.
“The caller told dispatch they were in a restroom at Claremont McKenna College campus, holding someone captive and threatening to harm them,” officials with the Claremont Police Department stated. “They also stated they had a bomb and were going to walk around with a rifle and shoot anyone they saw on the campus.”
Within minutes, law enforcement officers formed a perimeter, and several police agencies, including the Claremont, La Verne, Ontario, and Upland police departments, descended on the scene with SWAT teams. Aerial shots captured the intensity of the operation with armored vehicles and numerous police cruisers converging upon the campus. The response was unprecedented as law enforcement aimed to secure the safety of students and faculty.
At 6:09 p.m., Pomona College’s Dean of Students, Avis Hinkson, sent emails across campuses identifying the police activity as stemming from this "active threat" and canceled evening classes as students on and around the borders of CMC were ordered to evacuate. “Students were told to evacuate the area, running in clusters north toward Harvey Mudd College,” reported The Student Life, the university’s newspaper.
After hours of searching and clearing multiple buildings, officers reported finding no evidence of any threats, weapons, or victims, and the shelter-in-place order was finally lifted by 7:30 p.m. “Extensive resources were used to respond to the call for service, which was determined to be a false report,” police confirmed.
The confusion on campus resulted from the frantic messages students received during the incident. One student, Gabe, recounted his experience saying, "I was just doing some homework, and I just get a text ‘potential shooter.’ I look out the window, and I see SWAT teams and cops. We just started going away from campus.”
This alarming response followed another similarly unfounded report the day before at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, where authorities faced chaos as calls warned of armed threats within the facility, causing significant panic among patients and staff. Sheriff Shannon Dicus of the San Bernardino County remarked on the serious toll these hoaxes take on emergency services. “All of this caused by a hoax to falsely portray a catastrophic event,” Dicus stated.
Swatting calls, which aim to incite dangerous police responses through false reports of emergencies, have become increasingly common. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported warned of the fact swatting calls can come as coordinated efforts targeting individuals or institutions, leading to heavy enforcement resource allocation and community distress.
By 8 p.m., as calm was restored, Claremont McKenna College provided notifications about the end of the lockdown. The psychological effects of such incidents prompted school administration to offer counseling services for students affected by the chaos. These services were made available until late Thursday evening, with additional online mental health resources accessible around the clock.
While the swift and thorough response of law enforcement ensured no one was physically harmed, the fear generated by the swatting incidents is palpable—both at Claremont McKenna College and Loma Linda Hospital. Classes at CMC and Pomona were canceled for the evening, and the repercussions of these incidents on the campus and community overall continue to evoke conversation about security, safety, and the ramifications of malicious pranking.
With the prevalence of such hoaxes on the rise, law enforcement must navigate the challenging terrain between maintaining public safety and responding to alarming reports with diligence. Authorities encourage vigilance and remind the community of the need to report serious threats competently, rather than enabling such harmful pranks to propagate.