Springs teen accused of ‘swatting’ high schools in California, Nevada

The FBI says a Colorado Springs teenager has been arrested for making several swatting-style threats, including one that led to the closure of a high school in California.

The teen was not identified because he is under 18.

“Swatting” is a term used to describe when someone knowingly provides false information to police suggesting that a threat exists at a particular location, prompting police to respond with tactical units.

“The people that do it try all sorts of techniques, bounce their signal around the internet, and various other techniques to make it difficult to track. The fact is it’s not,” said Sgt. Greg White with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. “They’ll make a call to try to get a SWAT team to show up.”

The Sheriff’s Office couldn’t comment on the investigation, since it was led by the FBI.

On September 8 and 9, 2015 a caller using an alias placed two phone calls to the Corona Police Department saying that he had placed explosives on the campus of Centennial High School in Corona, California.

Corona police, Corona fire and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department responded to the school and found no bombs or bomb-making materials; however, the Corona Unified School District cancelled classes for the remainder of the day as a precaution.

A joint investigation between Corona police and the FBI led investigators to a suspect in the California case as well as similar swatting calls made to high schools in Las Vegas. They then traced the suspect to a home in Colorado Springs.

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested the teen and the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case to determine if charges should be filed.

The last time El Paso County authorities responded to “swatting” was in July. A call was made that a shooter was holding hostages at a Black Forest home. When deputies arrived, they found no such threat.