A 12-year-old girl is believed to be the source of a swatting call that prompted a large police response to a reported shooting in Montgomery Village on Sept. 9, 2025.
Montgomery County Police officers responded to the 19100 block of Montgomery Village Avenue at 3:40 p.m. after receiving a call about a shooting in progress.
Investigation revealed that the call originated from a moving school bus. Officers conducted traffic stops on multiple school buses in the area in an attempt to locate the caller. This resulted in “a significant police response and caused traffic disruptions,” according to police.
On Tuesday, detectives from the Threat Assessment and Behavioral Solutions unit identified the caller. Administrators at the school where the student attends were notified and disciplinary action was taken. Maryland law prohibits criminal charges from being filed against the 12-year-old girl in this case.
Police officers said they take swatting and prank calls seriously, noting that such incidents divert officers away from other calls and disrupts traffic in the response area. Such incidents can create dangerous situations and place strain on the county’s emergency resources, police said.
