ST. GEORGE — Law enforcement released a media release Saturday evening stating an arrest has been made for alleged swatting calls.
“The St. George Police Department is committed to investigating any threats of mass violence in our community,” St. George police posted to social media. “The safety of students and staff at schools is a top priority, and any threats towards our schools are of the utmost importance. We treat any threats as credible until facts prove otherwise.”
Last year on Sept. 27, a hoax threat led to an increased police presence at Snow Canyon High School. A large-scale response was initiated as detectives began to investigate the threat. The threat was determined to be a hoax based on the preliminary evidence that was obtained at the time.
In the months since the incident, St. George police detectives began pursuing all leads in the case.
“Perpetrators of these hoax attacks use many sophisticated methods in effort to conceal their true identities,” the St. George Police Department said.
“These investigations are technically challenging and time consuming, requiring highly skilled investigators who are dedicated to the case,” the social media post continued. “SGPD detectives were able to peel back the layers around the suspect and ultimately identified him as a juvenile who resides outside the state of Utah.”
As detectives were finalizing their investigation, the juvenile was placed under arrest by another jurisdiction for additional, similar hoax threats, police said.
“The suspect in this case was linked to an organized group which has engaged in serial swatting offenses across the country,” the department said. “Detectives have screened the case with our juvenile prosecutors and charges have been filed relating to threats against schools, threats of terrorism, and false emergency reporting.”
This report is based on information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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