Swatting incident prompts lockdown at Dominican Hospital

SANTA CRUZ - A heavy law enforcement presence permeated around Dominican hospital Saturday night after the hospital and surrounding streets were placed on lockdown following reports of a threatening phone call. The lockdown was lifted two hours later.

Ashley Keehn, public information officer for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, wrote in an email to the Sentinel that Santa Cruz Regional 911 received a phone call in which the caller was making threats to Dominican Hospital. Dispatchers contacted the Sheriff's Office, and the hospital was placed on lockdown. Deputies and officers from the California Highway Patrol, California State Parks and the Santa Cruz and Capitola police departments searched the surrounding area and the corridor of Soquel Drive between Soquel and 41st avenues was closed off while the investigation was in place.

Keehn wrote that during the initial investigation, the call was believed to be a swatting incident, in which an individual makes a false report of a major emergency to divert law enforcement officers to an unsuspecting victim. However, she wrote that officers continued to have an increased presence at the hospital out of an abundance of caution. Once it became clear there was no immediate threat, the lockdown was lifted and the roadblocks removed around 10:50 p.m.

Keehn wrote that the investigation remains ongoing.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 12:59 PM.