An Ottawa teen is facing 60 criminal charges after being accused of making fake emergency calls involving situations so dangerous that SWAT teams are deployed.
The 16-year-old boy is suspect in at least 30 “swatting” cases throughout North America, including incidents in the GTA, Quebec, Alberta, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas and California.
He was arrested Thursday and faces charges that include public mischief, mischief to property, uttering death threats, and conveying false information with intent to alarm.
Ottawa Police Staff Sgt. Rick Baldwin-Ooms said swatting involves “engaging emergency services with false calls to affect revenge on an individual or organization by causing the response of armed SWAT Teams to active shooter scenarios or bomb threats.”
Two other teens -- one from Ontario and one from Quebec -- are also facing swatting-related charges.
A 15-year-old boy from Laval, Que., was arrested on Thursday after allegedly targeting a shopping centre, two private homes and a school.
Meanwhile, a Milton, Ont., teen was arrested two days after an April 30 incident that led to the evacuation of a local high school, Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School. He was charged with public mischief.
Police say the Milton teen had planned for the threat to be delivered by an “online” acquaintance.
Police later identified the acquaintance as the 16-year-old Ottawa boy, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Ottawa police seized communication devices, data transmission, firearms and ammunition after searching the teen’s home.
The investigation involved agencies both in Canada the U.S., including the FBI, Quebec provincial police, Laval Police, Halton Regional Police and Calgary Police.
With files from CTV Ottawa and The Canadian Press
