Local police in Florida have charged an 11-year-old boy from Virginia with making over 20 swatting calls, primarily targeting schools. The motive behind the boy’s actions and why he chose Florida as his target is still unclear.
According to a press release from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the swatting calls began on May 14th with Buddy Taylor Middle School in Palm Coast, Florida being the first target. The kid continued to make over 20 calls to various Florida schools with students of all ages for the next week. Schools that were targeted include First Baptist Christian Academy, Flagler Palm Coast High School, Old Kings Elementary School, and Suncoast Community School.
Swatting is a dangerous and illegal practice that involves calling emergency services and providing false information about a violent or life-threatening situation at a certain location. The goal of swatting is to prompt an aggressive response from law enforcement, which can put innocent people in harm’s way. For example, swatters may falsely claim to have committed murder or to be holding hostages in order to trick emergency services into sending a SWAT team to the targeted location. Swatting is a serious crime that can result in significant legal consequences for those who engage in it.
Local authorities have reported that this child made multiple threats regarding the placement of bombs in different areas, as well as threats of mass shootings and claims of a teacher or student being shot.
According to reports, the swatting calls were traced back to an 11-year-old who later confessed to making them. The Homeland Security Section of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office was able to track down the caller’s identity, and authorities conducted an interview with the child. During the interview, the child mentioned having learned how to conceal his identity online. It is unclear how the police were able to locate the child, but they reportedly used voice pattern analysis to compare the phone calls with his voice. In addition to the Florida schools, the child also admitted to making a threat against Maryland’s State House.
In Virginia, the child was detained on numerous charges, including 14 felony counts of falsely reporting the planting of a bomb, 14 felony counts of unlawfully using a two-way communication device, one felony count of tampering with physical evidence, and 14 misdemeanor counts of disrupting a school function. Currently, the juvenile is in custody at a detention facility, and the State Attorney’s Office is collaborating with Virginia authorities to transfer him to the south.
Sheriff Rick Staly emphasized the importance of the investigation in a statement published online, stating that with school starting in less than a month, the community was anxious about the case. He commended the detectives for their relentless effort to find the culprit responsible for causing fear among the students, parents, teachers, and the community. According to the Sheriff, the suspect’s behavior was rapidly escalating and posing a severe threat to the community.
Although the identity of the 11-year-old has been disclosed, Gizmodo has chosen not to reveal it. The series of swatting calls made by the child was a foolish and highly risky move. It is expected that the young individual will eventually come to understand the gravity of their actions. However, given their age, it is hoped that this mistake will not have irreparable consequences, despite the severity of the charges they face.