Law enforcement descended on 21 schools across Vermont on Wednesday morning after a spate of hoax calls reporting shootings on campus. State officials described the unnerving incidents as a widespread "swatting" event.

In all cases, law enforcement determined that the schools were safe and no violence had taken place, Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison said at a midday press conference. Given that only about 10 percent of schools in the state had received threats, she said, it was likely that the calls would continue.


Rob Evans, the state's school safety liaison, said the incidents create anxiety within schools and also divert critical emergency resources. Even if reports of school shootings turn out to be false, they "have a variety of unintended mental health consequences" for school staff, students and parents, Evans said. Agency of Education officials said local schools would work to support students in dealing with fear and stress caused by Wednesday's events.

"We need to try to put a stop to this in any way possible," Gov. Phil Scott said. "This shouldn't be normalized. That's why we take every single threat seriously, like it's the real thing, because once it gets normalized, things happen."

"We're all together in this," he added, "and when it comes to our kids and our schools, we'll do whatever we need to do to protect them and keep them safe."