Santa Barbara – The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an active shooter at San Marcos High School that was quickly determined to be a “swatting” call. On Monday, April 3, 2023, at approximately 10:26 a.m. deputies, along with California Highway Patrol responded to San Marcos High School, while County Fire and American Medical Response staged in the area.

Deputies were on scene within minutes and quickly suspected that this was a “swatting” incident. In an abundance of caution, students and staff at the school were asked to shelter in place while law enforcement conducted a room-by-room search of the campus. No injured persons or shooters were found during the search, and the report was determined to be a hoax. The shelter-in-place was lifted at 11:15 a.m. The Sheriff’s Office is currently working to identify the individual responsible for the swatting call and bring them to justice.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is reminding the public that swatting calls are not only illegal, but they put the lives of innocent people at risk. Anyone found responsible for making a swatting call will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The Sheriff’s Office would also like to thank the students, parents, and staff at San Marcos High School for their cooperation during this incident, and for their efforts in maintaining a safe and secure campus environment.