Claremont McKenna College temporarily placed on lockdown for swatting call

The Claremont McKenna College campus was placed on lockdown Thursday after authorities received reports of an ongoing hostage situation in a school bathroom. 

Campus police say that the potential threat was reported at around 4:45 p.m., prompting them to issue a shelter in place order while the campus was scoured. 

"The caller told dispatch they were in a restroom on the Claremont McKenna College campus, holding someone captive and threatening to harm them," said a statement from the Claremont Police Department. "They also stated they had a bomb and were going to walk around with a rifle and shoot anyone they saw on the campus."

At around 8 p.m., officers said that the incident was believed to be a "swatting call," meaning it was someone knowingly making a false claim to incite panic and draw a police presence to any given location.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies assisting with the matter said that they had not found any evidence of a shooting as they cleared the campus. 

SkyCal flew over the school, where about a dozen police cars and a SWAT team could be seen. Several armed officers in a group were spotted as they walked throughout the many buildings. 

CMC is one of five Claremont Colleges. It is located at 888 N. Columbia Avenue. 

On Wednesday evening, hundreds of law enforcement officers rushed to Loma Linda Hospital in San Bernardino County for phony reports of a bomb on campus. The call was said to be unfounded and a joint investigation with the FBI is underway to find the suspect.