Teen linked to Collin County hoax call and bomb threats across the U.S.
McKINNEY, Texas - A Texas teen is facing serious charges for allegedly making more than 100 hoax bomb threats and swatting calls to locations across the country.
The Collin County Sheriff’s Office began investigating in May after someone called about a SWAT incident at a home in the town of St. Paul. It turned out to be a fake call.
That investigation led to the discovery of hoax bomb threats to Brookshire’s grocery stores and schools in the Tyler, Cypress-Fairbanks, and Mission school districts.
Despite using sophisticated techniques to stay hidden, the sheriff’s office said diligent investigators ultimately linked the calls to a juvenile in Smith County.
The suspect’s home was raided over the weekend by the FBI and investigators from multiple departments.
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Two men, Parker Whitworth and Kristopher Cloud, were indicted on charges of terrorism and planting a hoax bomb.
The investigators now believe the teen was responsible for at least 100 hoax calls in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Hoax calls are dangerous because they create panic, endanger lives, and divert valuable resources away from true emergencies, the sheriff’s office said.
"Swatting hoaxes and bomb threats are serious matters that potentially endanger innocent civilians. We remain committed to identifying and prosecuting those responsible for these dangerous activities," said Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner.
Charges against the suspect are pending.