May 04, 2026

Pennsbury High School sends students home after suspected swatting incident

Buses were rerouted Monday morning after a bomb threat was called in from a California number, officials say.

By Kristin Hunt
PhillyVoice Staff

Daniella Heminghaus/Imagn Images

Pennsbury High School shut down Monday after receiving threats. Officials believe it was a swatting incident. Above, Gov. Josh Shapiro delivers a graduation address at the Bucks County school.

Pennsbury High School locked down Monday and later transitioned to virtual learning after receiving threats that officials believe were a hoax.

The Bucks County school rerouted buses after receiving a call from a California number around 7:55 a.m., according to posts on Pennsbury High School's social media. The caller claimed they were traveling to the campus's east building with an assault rifle and a pipe bomb, prompting a police investigation.

MORE: Delco man pleads guilty to leading scheme to buy designer dogs with fake checks and cash

Officials sent buses of students en route to the school to Charles Boehm Middle School in Yardley, where they were temporarily held. They were transported home starting at 9:30 a.m.

Though police from Falls Township and Lower Makefield are conducting a full search of the campus, Pennsbury High School officials suspect the threat was another swatting incident, similar to the false threat that sent Villanova University into lockdown in August.

"We understand that multiple high schools in the county received similar calls, and we believe this is a hoax or a swatting incident," the school wrote on Instagram.

The Bucks County District Attorney's Office did not immediately clarify whether other schools in the area had received threats. But a recently arrested juvenile allegedly made similar calls to institutions in southeastern Pennsylvania and other regions last summer. The suspect, who had no connection to Villanova or the other victims, claims to be part of the cybercriminal group Purgatory.

Pennsbury High School postponed AP exams scheduled for Monday but plans to continue with after-school programming and open normally Tuesday.

Falls Township police did not immediately respond to request for comment on the investigation. Lower Makefield law enforcement, whose jurisdiction includes Charles Boehm Middle School but not Pennsbury High School, referred questions to Falls Township.

Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt | @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Have a news tip? Let us know.