Police agencies respond to multiple 'unfounded' reports at schools

BPD Commissioner: "It's a sad state of society."

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - At the same moment buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia was meeting with the Buffalo Schools Superintendent in city hall Thursday morning, Buffalo police were responding to a weapons call at South Park High School just before 10:45 a.m. ET.

Listen LIVE to WBEN

The call was alarming, said Gramaglia, and he added that it, "Stated that there were shots currently being fired, there were several students that were shot in the bathroom at the school."

Police, along with K-9's just completed searching the school grounds and the school was put in shelter in place during the search.

Police say no weapon was located and it was determined to be a fake call.

"It’s a sad state of society," Gramaglia said and he assured that every effort will be made to prosecute those responsible. The incident, he said, was similar in nature to the events that unfolded at The Nichols School in Buffalo last month.

Police in the region, across the state and nation are reporting similar swatting calls in the last few days.

Buffalo police are investigating the incident at South Park High School and if it is linked to other swatting calls.

Lockport Police to a similar call at the Lockport High School Thursday morning and it was found to be 'unfounded' after further investigation.

Superintendent Dr. Mathis Calvin issued this statement on the district's website:

"I am writing to share that within the last hour the district was notified by text message that there might have been an active shooter in the high school.

"Once notified the high school and the rest of our schools were all placed on lockdown.

"We have now learned that this information appears to have been apart of a Statewide swatting incident (a false alarm notification that was sent by email to various school district across the State).

"Please know, at this time all students and staff are safe within the building. The police are here at the school and are completing a safety check of the building."

Featured Image Photo Credit: WBEN Photo