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Freedom251 › Blog › emergency reporting

How to Report a School Shooting Threat or Hoax Online

By Freedom251 Team · · 3 min read

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If a school shooting threat could involve immediate danger, call 911 first. For a concerning post without a known immediate emergency, promptly contact local law enforcement and the school; you can also send a tip to the FBI. Save the post and its identifying details, but do not repost or forward it. You do not need to decide whether the threat is credible—report it and let authorities assess it.

What to do, depending on the urgency

Situation What to do
Possible immediate danger or imminent threat to life Call 911. Do not use the FBI’s online tip form for an emergency; the form directs people to call 911 instead. [FBI tip form]
Concerning online post, with no known immediate emergency Promptly notify local law enforcement and school authorities through the school’s established safety or administrative channel. You can also submit a tip to the FBI online at tips.fbi.gov or contact the FBI. The FBI form is for federal crime tips and asks that information be submitted only once. [FBI active-shooter safety resources]

If you are unsure whether the post is a joke, vague, or already being called a hoax, do not try to settle that yourself. The FBI advises reporting concerning evidence and letting authorities assess its credibility. [FBI, “School Hoax Threats”]

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How to report a threat posted online

  1. Call 911 first if there may be immediate danger. Do not delay the call to collect screenshots or other details. The FBI tip form is not an emergency-reporting channel. [FBI tip form]
  2. Notify local law enforcement and the school. Use the school’s established safety or administrative reporting channel when the situation is not an immediate emergency. The FBI also accepts tips online and by phone. [FBI active-shooter safety resources]
  3. Preserve the post and its context. Keep the original post available. If safe and practical, capture a screenshot, print or photograph it, or copy the information. Do not edit the saved material.
  4. Give authorities identifying details. Share the school or location named, what the post says, the platform or application, the account or username, the post’s URL, and its date and time if available. The FBI’s tip form recommends providing a website URL, application name, username, and post date and time for online criminal activity. [FBI tip form]
  5. Do not repost or forward the threat. Send the material to the people handling the report rather than circulating it publicly. The FBI warns that broad sharing of unverified information can spread misinformation and cause panic; the Department of Education’s September 25, 2026, institutional guidance calls for “Report, Don’t Repost.” [FBI, “School Hoax Threats”] [U.S. Department of Education guidance, September 25, 2026]

Why you should report a suspected hoax

A claim that a post is a prank or hoax does not establish that it is safe to ignore. Authorities investigate threats to assess credibility. The FBI warns that hoax threats disrupt schools, divert law-enforcement resources, and can create fear and danger. [FBI, “School Hoax Threats”] [FBI, “Hoax Threats Are Crimes,” October 5, 2018]

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Threats can have serious legal consequences, but charges and outcomes depend on the circumstances and applicable law. The FBI’s 2018 guidance discusses possible federal charges for interstate threats as well as state or local charges; it is not a universal statement of what penalty applies in every case. [FBI, “Hoax Threats Are Crimes,” October 5, 2018]

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If you are school staff

Follow the school’s emergency operations plan and law-enforcement instructions. Decisions such as whether to lock down, evacuate, or close a school belong within those procedures and the authorities’ assessment—not an individual observer’s independent decision. [CISA, K–12 School Security Guide: Companion Product for School Staff]

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U.S. scope

This is general U.S.-focused guidance. Local emergency contacts and school reporting procedures may differ, so follow local authorities and the school’s emergency plan. [CISA school staff guidance]

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