USC Police: active shooter alert was part of "swatting" hoax

The University of South Carolina Police Department believes that Sunday's active shooter alert was the result of an intentional hoax.

Based on all available information, USCPD believes the active shooter alert issued last night was part of a swatting hoax. Similar events have occurred at other college campuses in recent days.

USCPD dispatch received two separate calls Sunday reporting an active shooter at the Thomas Cooper Library, at 6:30:42 and 6:32:20 p.m., respectively. Both calls were initiated by an unknown male and included background noise that mimicked gunfire. There is currently no evidence that the calls originated on campus.

Based on these calls, police were immediately dispatched to the scene and entered without hesitation in an attempt to locate the alleged shooter. Mutual