False report of active shooter prompts lockdown of Santa Barbara school

April 3, 2023

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is attempting to determine the person behind a “swatting” call that resulted in the lockdown of a high school campus Monday morning. 

At about 10:25 a.m., a 911 caller reported an active shooter at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara. Sheriff’s deputies and CHP officers then arrived at the high school, while county firefighters and ambulance personnel staged in the area.

The deputies who arrived on scene quickly suspected they were dealing with a swatting incident, according to the sheriff’s office. But, out of an abundance of caution, officials instructed students and school staff to shelter in place as law enforcement conducted a room-by-room search of the campus. 

Deputies found no shooter, nor any injured individuals, and they determined the report was a hoax. Authorities lifted the shelter-in-place order at 11:15 a.m.

The sheriff’s office is working to identify the person responsible for the swatting call and to bring the individual to justice. Sheriff’s officials say swatting calls are not only illegal, but they put lives of innocent people at risk. Officials also thank the students, parents and staff of San Marcos High for cooperating during the incident.