'Swatting' hoax threat prompts temporary lockdown at San Francisco Zoo

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A hoax threat prompted a temporary lockdown at the San Francisco Zoo on Monday afternoon, forcing hundreds of visitors and staff to shelter in place while police investigated.

Zoo officials shut down the facility just before 3 p.m., with officers arriving shortly afterward.

Guests and employees remained sheltered during the response as authorities worked to determine whether the threat was credible.

"We weren't sure what was going on at first we thought it was like an animal coming out, because that's what we normally expect at a zoo," said Carlos Herrera, who works at the San Francisco Zoo.

Visitors described confusion and fear during the incident.

"I think the original thought of if this is real? That felt a little scary," said Jessica Ivanov, a Sacramento resident.

"They had us in like the rhino or the hippo den. For about 30 minutes. They gave us chalk for all the kids in the in the, exhibit. you kind of like, how long is this going to be," she said.

The zoo reopened about an hour later and said on social media that there was no evidence of any valid threat. Authorities have described the incident as a case of "swatting," a form of hoax in which false reports are made to law enforcement to trigger a large emergency response.

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Similar incidents have been reported at zoos nationwide in recent months, including at Happy Hollow Park Zoo in San Jose. Zoos in at least five other states have also experienced hoax threats since May.

"Swatting originally came about with the YouTubers, and then the gamers, and it's essentially a prank call that's made to law enforcement claiming that there is some kind of emergency taking place," said Elizabeth Jaffe, an associate professor at Atlanta's John Marshall Law School.

Jaffe said the motivation behind targeting zoos is not entirely clear.

"I haven't gotten to the bottom of why the zoos other than that school is out and there's probably a lot of people, and usually the swatter's intention is to cause panic," she said.

California lawmakers have taken steps to address the issue. State Sen. Susan Rubio authored legislation that took effect earlier this year, making it a crime to willfully convey false information and threats of mass violence against vulnerable locations.

"I want to send a strong message that it is a serious offense," Rubio said, noting that hoax calls can strain emergency resources and create uncertainty for responders.

"I know it's a prank for those kids but for our officers it requires a lot of coordination and resources -- they don't know when it's a prank and when it's a serious threat so they have to bring their entire infrastructure to deal with the matter and it needs to stop," she said.

In California, swatting incidents can now be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony.