Juvenile accused of Tyler-area bomb threats, ‘swatting’ hoaxes has been arrested

Published 10:59 am Wednesday, July 24, 2024

A juvenile suspect accused of multiple bomb threats, including at local Brookshire’s grocery stores, has been arrested, the Tyler Police Department announced Wednesday morning.

On July 1, a joint investigation between the Tyler Police Department, Smith County Sheriff’s Department, Collin County Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI identified a juvenile suspect responsible for multiple bomb threats and “swatting” hoaxes throughout the city of Tyler and surrounding areas.

The Tyler Police Department arrested the juvenile suspect Wednesday morning, charging him with six criminal offenses at this time. The juvenile has been booked into the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center.

The minor was identified after the agencies conducted a search warrant June 30. The search led to the identification of a juvenile suspect authorities say was behind “numerous bomb threats and swatting hoaxes across multiple states,” according to Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner.

The suspect was linked to bomb threats at Brookshire’s grocery stores, schools in the Tyler area, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, and Mission ISD, according to the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.

Bomb threats were received at multiple Brookshire’s locations in Smith County over a course of two weeks, including three stores in Tyler and one store in Bullard. Each time, officers searched the stores but no devices were located. The stores were evacuated and later reopened.

Skinner said the investigation began in May when the suspect initiated a swatting incident at a residence in St. Paul. Multiple search warrants and multi-agency efforts led to the identification of the suspect, whose charges were still pending as of Monday afternoon.

The investigation remains ongoing, but so far investigators have learned the suspect’s activities spanned across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, according to the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.

“To date, investigators have identified over 100 locations targeted by these dangerous hoaxes,” a press release stated. “Despite employing sophisticated techniques to stay hidden, the suspect’s identity was ultimately uncovered through persistent online investigative efforts.”

The Collin County Sheriff’s Office said swatting and bomb threats pose significant dangers, and law enforcement has seen a marked increase of these events in recent years.

“These malicious hoaxes create panic, endanger lives, and divert valuable resources from police, fire, and emergency medical services,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.

“This successful operation underscores the importance of inter-agency cooperation in addressing serious threats to public safety,” Skinner 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.”