Classes were cut short in Windsor on Friday after a high-stakes “swatting” call sent Windsor High School into a three-hour lockdown.
The Press Democrat reports the scare began around 11:50 a.m. when an unknown caller claimed to be in the school parking lot with explosives, demanding $10,000 in cash. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, alongside the CHP and local fire crews, swarmed the campus, deploying drones and bomb-sniffing dogs to sweep the grounds.
Because the threat came during the lunch hour, many students followed their “Run, Hide, Fight” training and fled the campus immediately. Those remaining on-site sheltered in place as deputies searched every vehicle matching the caller’s description.
By mid-afternoon, officials confirmed the threat was a hoax—part of a series of similar “swatting” calls hitting law enforcement agencies across the region. No explosives were found, and all students were reported safe. School was dismissed early, with counselors on-site to support shaken students and staff.