The article cites the location of Bunnell, Florida, and the source as the Associated Press.
Authorities have charged an 11-year-old boy from Virginia with making over 20 bomb and shooting threats to schools and other locations in Florida. The charges were announced on Thursday.
During a news conference, Sheriff Rick Staly of Flagler County stated that the authorities put in a lot of effort to track down the caller before the start of the school year.
Sheriff Staly expressed his relief in apprehending the child before his behavior spiraled out of control and caused harm to others. “This kid’s behavior was escalating and becoming more dangerous,” he stated. His gratitude towards their timely intervention was evident in his statement, “I’m glad we got him before he escalated out of control and hurt someone.”
Swatting is a term used to describe the act of making a fake emergency call to law enforcement, with the intention of getting a SWAT team or other heavily armed officers to respond to a specific location. This is considered to be a type of prank call.
Officials reported that Buddy Taylor Middle School in Flagler County, located on Florida’s Atlantic coast, received a bomb threat on May 14. Subsequently, there were more threats made between that date and May 22.
Authorities have revealed that the Florida swatting calls, along with a threat made to the Maryland State House, were traced back to a home in Henrico County, Virginia. Upon searching the home, local deputies discovered that an 11-year-old boy living there was responsible for the calls. The boy admitted to placing the Florida swatting calls, as well as making similar calls in other states including Nebraska, Kansas, Alabama, Tennessee, and Alaska.
Officials have reported that the boy is currently facing 29 felony counts and 14 misdemeanors. As of now, he is being held in a juvenile detention center in Virginia while the necessary arrangements are being made for his extradition to Florida. The investigators have yet to confirm whether the boy has any connection to Florida.
Officials have revealed that a 13-year-old boy was taken into custody in Florida in May, only a few days following an initial call, for mimicking a threat towards Buddy Taylor Middle School.