Active Shooter Hoax Targets University Of Maryland

COLLEGE PARK, MD — As college students returned to campus the last couple of weeks, law enforcement saw an alarming increase of false active shooter reports. Officials with the University of Maryland reported this week that they were one of a couple dozen colleges and universities that were targeted.

At 4:17 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, the University of Maryland Police Department was alerted to an active shooter in the McKeldin Library area via Prince George's County Public Safety Communications.

A UMPD officer already was patrolling McKeldin Mall at that same time and the officer reported not seeing or hearing anything suspicious. The UMPD also did not receive a notice from their gun-shot detection technology system, nor receive any other calls reporting gunfire.

"With the assistance from our allied agencies and our Security Operations Center, it was determined that this call was a false report and there was no threat to our community. We take these matters very seriously. Whenever we get a call that impacts our campus community, we take into account the totality of the circumstances and respond accordingly," the UMPD stated.

Since 2015, the University of Maryland has used ShotSpotter — an artificial intelligence-based acoustic gunshot detection system owned by the technology company SoundThinking. Gun-shot detection technology typically uses sensors to detect, locate and alert law enforcement agencies of potential gunfire incidents in real time. These systems can distinguish gunshots from other impulse noises, such as fireworks.

When police receive a notification from ShotSpotter, they are dispatched to look for evidence of a gunshot, according to UMPD spokesperson Lt. Rosanne Hoaas.

“This can range from officers checking with any potential witnesses who might be in the area, to phone calls UMPD may receive,” Hoaas wrote in a statement to The Diamondback, which is the college's student-run newspaper. “After the incident is cleared, we notify SoundThinking what our investigation revealed.”

The university chose McKeldin Mall for the first sensor deployment because of the location’s high foot traffic and easy accessibility for potential threats, UMPD Police Chief David Mitchell told The Diamondback.