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The weekend disruptions began Saturday at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in central Ohio. Tom Schmid, the zoo’s president and CEO, told local television station WCMH that zoo employees had conducted a safety drill the previous week and held another exercise on Saturday morning, which helped prepare staff for the emergency evacuation.
“This is part of life now around the country, around the world,” Schmid said, noting the recent increase in such threats. “And so we have to make sure we’re vigilant.”
On Sunday, police swept the Akron Zoo in northeast Ohio after a threat triggered an evacuation. Officers gave the all-clear after finding no explosives, but zoo management closed the facility for the remainder of the day. Hours later, visitors at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo were also evacuated, with police stationed outside the property. Social media posts from visitors expressed frustration over the sudden departures.
Authorities have characterized the weekend incidents as swatting, a crime involving false emergency reports designed to draw a massive law enforcement response. Beyond the immediate disruption to families and staff, the FBI said Sunday that swatting calls divert critical public safety resources, cost thousands of dollars per incident, and carry physical risks. “Law enforcement personnel have been wounded responding to swatting incidents, and victims have been treated for injuries such as heart attacks as a result of such events,” the agency said.
The FBI has logged thousands of swatting incidents since establishing a national database in 2023. Targets have expanded beyond private citizens and celebrities to include schools, public institutions, and zoos.
Last year, dozens of similar hoax calls disrupted college campuses nationwide, forcing lockdowns and class cancellations before authorities determined the threats were fabricated. The pattern of institutional targeting continues: federal prosecutors announced charges last week against a juvenile whose swatting calls targeted universities and other buildings in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in August 2025. Prosecutors identified the defendant as a member of the cybercriminal group “Purgatory.”
While the weekend zoo calls were resolved without injuries, officials emphasized that the federal charges and ongoing investigations reflect a sustained push to penalize the individuals and networks orchestrating the false alarms.