False active shooter reports could soon be a felony in Colorado

As the legitimate threat of mass violence has risen across the country, so too have fictitious reports of active shooters, causing unnecessary panic, lockdowns and police response. 

In February, more than a dozen schools across Colorado were targeted with fake reports from someone who claimed they were about to begin a violent attack, forcing districts to cancel classes and unsettling communities from Boulder to Aspen to Cañon City. In Estes Park, a responding officer accidentally fired his gun. 

Colorado lawmakers have responded with a bill that would make falsely reporting a mass shooting a Class 6 felony, punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.  

Rep. Gabe Evans, a Fort Lupton Republican and a prime sponsor of the bill, said…