Sioux Falls Police are reporting that Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls was the victim of a 'swatting' incident and a school shooter hoax.

Officials say that at around 8:30 Thursday morning, police received a phone call that said there was an active shooter at Lincoln High.

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<p>"There was no shooter and no threat to any students or staff," SFPD said</p><p> </p>

At the school, students were asked to shelter-in-place. The Sioux Falls School District describes this as securing all doors to the outside and no one is allowed into or out of the building.

The School Resource Officer inside Lincoln High School did not hear or see anything out of the ordinary at the time the call came in.

Sioux Falls School Shooting Hoax

The District says that within minutes of the call, a dozen members of law enforcement were on the scene. Including members of SFPD, the sheriff's office, and federal agents.

When officers arrived there was no sign of a shooter or an emergency. To make sure, law enforcement checked the school to confirm.

"There was no shooter and no threat to any students or staff," SFPD said in a statement. "Police and detectives are investigating the source of the call but it appears to have come from out of the area"

After not finding any threats, law enforcement left the school by noon and the students resumed their day,

"[O]ur proactive partnerships with Sioux Falls Police and the training we require for school leaders was actively put to work today. I’m happy to report that it all worked as intended," Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent, and Dave Osterquist, SFSD Safety Coordinator said.

In a message to parents, the Sioux Falls School District said that 'swatting' or calling in hoax crimes to elicit a police response is becoming a real issue for schools.

"These swatting attempts are happening across the country and are meant to tie up law enforcement resources," the District said.

Our news-gathering partner Dakota News Now reports that the investigation continues.

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