Hoax calls involving alleged bomb threats and even claims of active shooters have prompted evacuations and closures of several zoos across the United States in recent days, disrupting family plans and taxing public safety resources in some cities.
No explosives or real dangers were found in the latest series of what authorities describe Beating incidents.
The FBI considers swatting to be a growing national problem. Aside from diverting resources, such calls can cost thousands of dollars per incident, put first responders and the public at risk, and can result in federal charges.
In the latest case, police on Sunday raided the Akron Zoo in northeastern Ohio after a threat that prompted the evacuation of visitors. Authorities gave the green light, but zoo managers chose to close for the rest of the day.
Just hours later, police were seen stationed outside the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, where visitors had been evacuated due to a threat there. Some visitors took to social media, expressing their anger at having to leave.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in central Ohio was evacuated Saturday. Zoo President and CEO Tom Schmid He said Television station WCMH said because of similar threats at other zoos, staff conducted safety drills last week and an exercise Saturday morning that helped prepare them for emergency evacuation.
“This is part of life now across the country, across the world,” Schmid said, noting the rise in such threats. “So we have to make sure we are vigilant.”
Threats have also been called to zoos in Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida and Arizona.
Last year, dozens Fake calls to campus Across the United States, this has led to classes being cancelled, campuses closing, and in some cases students hiding under desks only to later discover they were victims of beatings.
Last week, federal prosecutors announced charges against a juvenile following a series of phone calls targeting universities and other institutions in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in August 2025. According to prosecutors, the defendant was identified as a member of the cybercriminal group “Purgatory.”
The FBI has recorded thousands of swatting incidents since creating a national database in 2023. Targets have included schools, public institutions, and celebrities.
“Batting is sometimes carried out as an act of revenge or a prank. It is a serious crime with potentially serious consequences,” the agency said in a statement on Sunday. “Law enforcement officers have been injured while responding to beating incidents, and victims have been treated for injuries such as heart attacks as a result of such incidents.”