A juvenile from Washington state has been arrested for a series of "swatting" incidents, including a hoax call that precipitated an extensive police deployment to San Marcos High School in September, said the San Marcos Police Department. According to a news release from the city of San Marcos, the juvenile faces charges for making a terroristic threat and a false alarm.
CBS Austin reported that the suspect was apprehended in Whitman County, Washington, and is suspected of engaging in similar swatting tactics nationwide. The San Marcos incident, which occurred on September 24, involved a caller falsely reporting an armed individual in the school and purported gunshots. Over 150 emergency personnel responded, but no evidence of the alleged shooter or gunfire was found.
In a statement San Marcos Police Chief Stan Standridge said, "Although the call was determined to be false, the emergency response to the San Marcos High School was real. We know that many in our community, including parents and school staff, were shaken by the threat." The suspect, whose identity remains confidential due to minor status, is held in custody. Evidence connecting the suspect to the hoax call at San Marcos High School and similar false threats, including one that targeted the Lewiston Police Department in Idaho, was discovered after law enforcement executed a search warrant on the individual's cell phone and computers.
Coordination with the Hays County District Attorney's Office is underway for prosecution, with additional charges possible as the FBI continues to review the evidence. Meanwhile, "spoofed" calls linked to the suspect have also alarmed communities in states like Hunt County, Texas and Kent County, Michigan. In a written statement obtained by the Express News, San Marcos Police Chief Stan Standridge acknowledged the significant fear provoked by the swatting call but affirmed the thorough investigation to bring "peace of mind and ensure the safety of students and families."
The arrest brings some closure to the tense episode that beset San Marcos High School. Whitman County, Washington area news outlets surfaced last month that a 15-year-old boy was detained on suspicion of making hoax calls to police across multiple jurisdictions, including in Lewiston, Idaho. According to a report in the Spokesman-Review, this apprehended teen boasted in online chats about partaking in "swatting" activities for years, thus troubling various towns and cities across states such as New York, Oregon, and Mississippi. Reacting to the developments, San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Michael Cardona expressed a "sense of relief" that an arrest had been made, underscoring the significant fear and concern induced by the hoax.
