U of U swatting suspect still at large
Nov 13, 2025, 3:20 PM
A student walks by as police work an active scene where there were unconfirmed reports of a stabbing at Kahlert Village on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (Tess Crowley, Deseret News)
(Tess Crowley, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah Police are now trying to track down whoever made a hoax threat over the phone, which prompted a shelter-in-place order at Kahlert Village Wednesday night.
Jason Hinojosa, administrative captain with University of Utah Police, told KSL NewsRadio the original 911 call came through Salt Lake City’s administrative line from someone who said they stabbed their girlfriend. According to Hinojosa, the caller said they had an AR-15 and threatened to start shooting if police didn’t arrive within 20 minutes.
Police swept the building, but didn’t find a gun, a victim, or anything to substantiate the threat.
“(Swatting) is a very serious crime,” Hinojosa said. “There was a huge police presence on campus and that … causes panic, it causes fear.”
He also noted when someone makes a fake threat, it pulls law enforcement away from legitimate calls for help.
“I don’t understand the motivation for (swatting),” Hinojosa said. “I don’t quite understand how somebody gains any satisfaction or pleasure from creating circumstances like this … they are hugely impactful.”
Hinojosa said swatting, like other trends or scams, comes in waves … and it happens all over the country. He said one year, the U had five different bomb threats.
According to the university, there have been two other swatting reports on college campuses just this week.
What happens now?
Hinojosa said their priority is now finding whoever made the hoax 911 call, since it is a crime in and of itself.
Hinojosa said the 911 call came in through a voice-over internet provider, which could make it harder to find whoever made the call. But, he said, it’s not impossible.
He also said campus police plan to ask federal law enforcement for help in tracking down the suspect.
“Our investigative division will be working full steam,” Hinojosa said. “We will investigate this to the fullest, and hopefully get a prosecution out of it.”
