Attorney General Calls for Tougher Swatting Laws After East Lansing Bomb Threat
False bomb threat forces early student dismissal as Attorney General Dana Nessel warns of severe penalties for swatting incidents.
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called for stricter laws against swatting on Friday after a false bomb threat forced the early evacuation of East Lansing High School in Ingham County.
School officials released students early as law enforcement responded to what was later determined to be a swatting call, according to the Lansing State Journal. Swatting involves placing false emergency calls to dispatch law enforcement to a particular location.
Nessel emphasized the serious legal consequences that perpetrators face under current state law, detailing multiple charges that can result from such incidents.
Criminal Penalties for False Reports
False emergency reports can result in escalating penalties depending on the outcome, Nessel’s office explained. A basic false report of a crime is classified as a misdemeanor punishable by 93 days in prison.
The penalties increase significantly if the false report results in harm. A false report resulting in physical injury becomes a felony punishable by five years in prison, while one resulting in serious bodily impairment carries a 10-year prison sentence.
The most severe penalty applies when a false report results in death, which constitutes a felony punishable by 15 years in prison.
Terrorism and Threat Charges
Beyond false reporting, threats of violence carry their own legal consequences under Michigan law. Communicating a threat of terrorism represents the most serious charge, classified as a felony punishable by 20 years in prison.
Calling in a bomb threat specifically is a felony punishable by four years in prison. Even the malicious use of a telecommunications device constitutes a misdemeanor punishable by six months in prison.
All of these criminal charges can also result in fines of up to $20,000 in addition to prison time, according to the Attorney General’s office.
Growing Concern Over Swatting Incidents
The East Lansing incident highlights the ongoing problem of swatting calls targeting schools and other institutions. These false emergency reports not only waste valuable law enforcement resources but also create genuine fear and disruption in affected communities.
The early dismissal of students demonstrates the serious response required when schools receive credible-sounding threats, even those that ultimately prove false. Law enforcement agencies must treat each report as potentially legitimate until proven otherwise.
Nessel’s call for stricter laws suggests current penalties may not adequately deter individuals from making such calls, despite the already substantial prison sentences and fines available under existing statutes.
