LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — University of Kentucky students are responding to a swatting call that disrupted campus Tuesday afternoon, just one day after classes officially began for the fall semester.
Many freshmen who recently left home to start their college experience said the false active shooter report left them feeling shaken as they adjust to campus life.
"I looked back, I could hear the sirens, and I saw this cop go into the library area. And I was like oh, this can't be good," said freshman Mason Yates.
Police say they received a bogus emergency call just after noon Tuesday reporting an active shooter at the William T. Young Library. Officers were able to determine within two minutes through security cameras that the call was a hoax.
The incident is part of a growing nationwide problem known as "swatting" - false emergency calls designed to trigger a large police response.

Covering Kentucky
UK the latest victim of swatting after false active shooter report
Yates, whose class was located near the library, said he received a worried call from his mother during the incident.
"I was kinda scared because I've always, like, my whole life, been like - I've seen videos and stuff of shooters and heard about it. All the way, grade school, middle school, high school. Worried about it," Yates said.
According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, more than 800 school swattings were recorded between January 2023 and June 2024 alone, highlighting the scope of the problem affecting educational institutions nationwide.
Despite the concerning incident, students said they felt reassured by the quick police response and continue to feel safe on campus.
"I feel pretty safe, the cops responded within two minutes to the thing, so I felt pretty safe in the moment that the cops acted that fast. I felt pretty safe around campus," said Yates.
The swatting call comes as universities across the country have experienced similar false reports in recent weeks, creating additional stress for students and families during an already challenging transition period.
UK officials have not released additional details about the investigation into the false report.