Investigators suspect that the report of an armed man at Loma Linda children's hospital was a swatting hoax, resulting in the evacuation of the facility and a response from over 100 law enforcement officers. By the evening, authorities confirmed no shots were fired and no injuries occurred. Sheriff Shannon Dicus indicated the suspect was described as a man with a black duffle bag but emphasized the need for caution in tracing such prank calls. The false alarm significantly disrupted medical care for patients at the hospital during the response.
Officials believe the report was a swatting call, a term used to describe a knowingly false report of an emergency that prompts a major law enforcement response.
The Sheriff's Department received a call around 6 p.m. about a man who said he was armed with an AR-15 rifle and a bomb at the hospital.
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said officials are working to identify the suspect but that it can take time in swatting call cases.
Dicus emphasized that this is the wrong county for such acts, warning the suspect that law enforcement would pursue them relentlessly.
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