As I waited to pick up Carly at Marion High School on Wednesday, my phone chirped with a new text message. It was from the school district. Students were being held in their rooms after a threat had been called in. Given what took place in Perry, Iowa law enforcement wasn't taking any chances. The all-clear was given about 15 minutes later.

I got another text message from the school district later that afternoon further explaining what happened.

Ryan Brainard
Ryan Brainard
loading...

If you're wondering what 'swatting' is, you're not alone. Swatting is a hoax where a false report is called into law enforcement, with the intent of getting them to send a large response to the scene of a horrific crime like a mass shooting or hostage situation, according to CNN. It can put police in a tough position because they have no way of knowing initially if the threat is real, and in the times we live in, every threat must be taken seriously.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that Marion High School wasn't the only Iowa school to get 'swatted' yesterday. Schools in West Branch and Cascade experienced similar calls. No threats were found at either location.

The irony in all this is that the Gazette reports that the calls were made on the same day that Iowa lawmakers advanced a bill that would make false statements to law enforcement a felony in the state of Iowa.

Thank you to local law enforcement for responding to these threats and keeping our students safe.

LOOK: What are the odds that these 50 totally random events will happen to you?

Stacker took the guesswork out of 50 random events to determine just how likely they are to actually happen. They sourced their information from government statistics, scientific articles, and other primary documents. Keep reading to find out why expectant parents shouldn't count on due dates -- and why you should be more worried about dying on your birthday than living to 100 years old.

Gallery Credit: Isabel Sepulveda

25 True Crime Locations: What Do They Look Like Today?

Below, find out where 25 of the most infamous crimes in history took place — and what the locations are used for today. (If they've been left standing.)

More From KXRB