Florida teen arrested after false bomb threats, shooting

() — A 16-year-old boy from Dania Beach, Florida, was arrested on suspicion of making a series of false reports of bomb threats at several schools and at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Friday, authorities said.

The teen, who has not been publicly identified, allegedly made the first 9-1-1 call around 10 a.m., telling an operator that he was “about to go off a bomb at South Broward High School,” according to a press release from the Broward Sheriff’s Office. The school, in Broward County, Florida, was immediately evacuated, according to authorities.

Minutes later, according to the Sheriff’s Office, the suspect called 9-1-1 again “threatening to commit a shooting at South Broward High School and Attucks Middle School,” both located in Hollywood, Florida. “As a result, Attucks Middle School was secured in place,” the agency said.

“Investigation revealed that, in the hours that followed, the teen proceeded to make additional false bomb threats calling Coconut Creek High School, Blanche Ely High School, Coral Glades High School, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, disrupting functions. daily,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

After receiving the calls, the investigators controlled the cameras of the affected centers, searched all the places and finally “determined that there was no real threat,” according to the authorities.

The reports of false active attackers (in English “swatting“) are a worrying trend that continues to disrupt school life across the country, forcing schools to close and overburdening police resources, while sowing fear and confusion among students, parents and educators, according to reported.

On Friday, multiple agencies worked together and “developed information that led to the teen, who does not attend any of the affected schools,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

The teenager was taken into custody and transferred to the county Juvenile Assessment Center for processing, and now faces charges of false report of bomb or firearm and disruption of a school function, among others, according to the press release.