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Several Western Pennsylvania school districts were the target of swatting emails this week, authorities said.
They included Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland and South Park in Allegheny County and Belle Vernon and Derry Area in Westmoreland County.
The school districts reported receiving threatening messages via email on Tuesday and Wednesday.
North Allegheny received a widely distributed threatening email that went to spam accounts on the afternoon of Sept. 19, according to an email from Dan Stack, manager of safety and security for the district.
Mt. Lebanon, Pine-Richland and South Park school districts reported the similar email threats.
"The message received by the district is very similar to recent communication received by schools across Pennsylvania believed to be part of a hoax known as swatting," said Stack in an email to families.
These threats, typically received via phone or email, make or report a false threat that prompts an emergency response.
Swatting incidents occurred locally and across the state in March when districts received messages of a pending threat.
Two Mt. Lebanon staff members received...