Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Howell Public Schools sent an email to parents Monday, explaining reports of an alleged 'swatting' incident:

Dear Families,

This afternoon around 4:30 p.m., Howell High School in Howell Township, New Jersey, was the target of a swatting incident. This was one of many incidents of swatting in New Jersey today. Swatting is the action or practice of making a false call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address. Upon receiving a call of a threat in a bathroom at Howell High School in New Jersey, their local law enforcement responded and determined that there was no active situation or threat.

This evening, after our school day had been over for several hours, the Howell City Police here in Howell, Michigan, received a call from Howell Township Police in Howell, New Jersey. The purpose of the call was to inform our local law enforcement officials that the individual who had made the call to police in New Jersey had named the school in New Jersey but provided the street address of our Howell High School.

Out of an abundance of caution, our School Resource Officer has conducted a check of our Howell High School and confirmed that there is no threat or danger.

I wanted to share this information because this is not the first time that the two Howell High Schools have been confused. I also wanted to alleviate any confusion or concern should any reports on today’s incident not make it clear that this incident was at the Howell High School in New Jersey, not at our Howell High School.

Sincerely,
Erin J. MacGregor, Ed.S.
Superintendent
Howell Public Schools - Howell, Michigan