State and federal investigations have been confirmed after at least nine schools in Metro Nashville and the surrounding area were reportedly targeted with alleged swatting attempts, resulting in lockdowns or lockouts as local police verified there were no threats.
Threats were called in on Monday to at least nine schools in Nashville, Jackson, Franklin, Smyrna, La Vergne, Murfreesboro, and Clarksville, according to WSMV 4, while WKRN reported that the same school targeted in La Vergne was swatted a second time on Tuesday.
Following the incidents on Monday, the Tennessee Department of Safety (TDOS) confirmed in a statement that it was aware of the reports, and that the Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to each location, “out of an abundance of caution.”
The state law enforcement agency confirmed the calls were, “believed to be hoaxes,” but said that authorities took each report seriously.
In total, TDOS revealed 13 separate threats were made, and that each was proven to be a hoax upon investigation.
The Department of Safety and Homeland Security has confirmed that 13 schools threats encompassing all three grand divisions are hoaxes. We are continuing to fully investigate every report to ensure the safety of Tennessee schools.
— Tennessee Department of Safety (@TNDeptofSafety) May 12, 2026
In a statement posted to X, the FBI office in Nashville also confirmed it was aware of the incidents, and appeared to suggest they are part of a national trend.
“We are aware of swatting incidents involving a number of schools and we are working with our law enforcement partners,” the office announced. “The FBI is seeing an increase in swatting events across the country, and we take potential hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk.”
— FBI Nashville (@FBI_Nashville) May 11, 2026
The FBI has tracked swatting incidents since at least 2008, when it defined the phenomenon as “calling 9-1-1 and faking an emergency that draws a response from law enforcement – usually a SWAT team.”
A Tennessee man died in 2020 of a heart attack caused by a successful swatting of his house. In court, prosecutors reportedly said that Shane Sonderman, who was a minor at the time of the swatting incidents, was responsible for a series of similar calls across the country. He was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the death.
U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) was among the federal lawmakers swatted during a series of similar incidents in 2024, and last year FBI Director Kash Patel said his agency was working with local law enforcement to address the growing problem nationwide.
A similar series of false reports to schools occurred in Memphis in 2024, when threatening messages posted online prompted multiple Memphis-Shelby County Schools to lock down. Authorities ultimately made five arrests following the incidents.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
