A number of area law enforcement agencies were dispatched to Wayne Community Schools on Friday morning after the school received a threat over the phone.
The school buildings went into lockdown midmorning as the Wayne Police Department, Wayne County Sheriff's Office and Nebraska State Patrol arrived on scene.
According to Cody Thomas, Public Relations Director for the Nebraska State Patrol, "this is being investigated as a swatting call. There have been numerous such calls around the country recently and this follows that pattern. Our Fusion Center in Lincoln has been in communication with other agencies around the country regarding these calls this week. Troopers and local authorities have an increased presence in Wayne as a precaution."
Swatting calls are false, high-level emergency reports such as an active shooter or bomb threat intended to draw heavy police presence to an unsuspecting victim's location.
At this time the school has moved to "secure" mode with no one allowed to leave or enter the building. Everyone is safe.
UPDATE:
The following is a press released from Wayne Police Chief Marlen Chinn about the incident:
"On Friday, January 30, 2026 at approximately 10:15 a.m. the Wayne Public High School received a phone call threat of a shooter coming to the school. A second similar call was received at the Elementary school a few minutes later.
Law enforcement from several agencies were dispatched and all school buildings were notified within the city of Wayne and went into lock down status.
A delayed third similar call was received by the Wayne Police Department with the caller stating they were in the Elementary School parking lot and were there to shoot up the school with law enforcement already on scene.
Responding law enforcement set up at each of the school locations and sweeps were done of the interior and exterior of the buildings, and were unable to locate any credible threat. The calls received had similarities of other "swatting" hoax calls being received across the state and nation.
Law enforcement remained on locations until decisions were made by school administration for the release of the students.
Agencies responding to the scene involved Wayne Police, Wayne County Sheriff's Office and the Nebraska State Patrol."
