Officials: USC was target of ‘swatting hoax’

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The University of South Carolina says an active shooter alert on campus was triggered by a “swatting hoax.”

USC provided an updated statement Monday afternoon, stating that the school was the target of a hoax similar to others on other college campuses in recent days.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, “swatting” is defined as “a malicious act that can involve placing false emergency calls 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.”

The university said its police department received two separate calls Sunday reporting an active shooter at the Thomas Cooper Library at