Danvers cop responding to hoax school shooting call accidentally fires gun

A gun was accidentally set off by an officer at St. John's Prep in Danvers while responding to a report Monday that revealed to be a swatting hoax, CBS reports.

Although no one was hurt, all classes for students in 6th through 11th grade in St. John's Prep in Danvers were cancelled for Tuesday as the events frightened the students.

The accidental gunshot prompted local police to immediately arrive at the school to investigate the matter.

"During the search process there was an accidental discharge of a firearm. . . that resulted in an increased response from area departments," Danvers Police Chief James Lovell said.

According to police, the officer received a report of "a threat in the men's room" which he was looking into when the gun went off. The officer was alone in the bathroom.

"We believe that St. John's was the victim of a Swatting call," the school informed parents Monday afternoon. 

Head of School, Edward Hardiman, said, "This is everybody's nightmare. My message to our students underneath the tent was some of us are going to be OK, some of us are going to be really traumatized by what happened. It's our responsibility to reach out to each other, to support each other, to care for each other."

The police continue to investigate who made the swatting call. Recently, reports of swatting incidents are becoming quite common across the country, prompting schools to go into lockdown. 

Meanwhile, parents are furious with this incident. They said that schoolchildren should not have to go through this and urged schools to take additional protective measures for the children's sake.