Swatting Calls Sent to Multiple Minnesota Schools Linked to Phone Number in Ethiopia

ALEXANDRIA, Minn. (KFGO) – Alexandria Police Chief Scott Kent said he believes the ‘swatting’ calls made to schools in Alexandria, Fergus Falls, and St. Paul last Wednesday came from a phone number IP address in Ethiopia.

“We were able to capture the number that came in,” Kent said. “There were multiple swatting calls across the state, but three of them were consistent with the same phone number. We were able to track that back to a phone number IP address in Ethiopia.”

The swatting calls were a hoax reporting an active shooter at the schools.

Minneapolis, New Ulm, Fairmont, Rochester, Cloquet, Austin, Brainerd, Rosemount, Mankato, Grand Rapids, Bemidji, and International Falls also received swatting calls.

Officials said there was no danger to any students at the time.