Conn. Lawmakers Want Tougher Penalties For School Threats
HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- Connecticut lawmakers are pushing to bring back a bill that would impose harsher penalties on people who make threats against schools.
According to Stamford Democratic Rep. William Tong, the bill would make calling in a threat of violence to a school a Class C felony, which could carry up to 10 years in prison, WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported.
Currently, the maximum for a similar offense is up to five years in prison.
"Given Connecticut's horrific experience at Sandy Hook, unfortunately in Newtown, in Stamford, in Fairfield, in towns across Connecticut -- people are still calling in these threats," Tong said.
Using a Bushmaster rifle, Adam Lanza, 20, shot and killed 20 first-graders and six educators at school in Newtown, Connecticut on Dec. 14, 2012.
Earlier this month, five Connecticut school received threats within a matter of minutes, Adams reported.
"My daughter's own school had a lockdown -- the Northeast School in Stamford, Stamford High School saw the same thing," Tong said. "So our most important function is to keep our children safe and this goes a long way to helping us do that."
Police call this phony scare tactic "swatting," because the bogus calls attract a heavily-armed response. In a typical "swatting" call, voices are disguised and computer-generated phone numbers are used.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations is currently investigating the rash of threats.
