TEXAS — A Texas juvenile has been arrested after the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, Tyler Police Department, Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI executed a search warrant in Smith County on Saturday, June 29.
Investigators say the juvenile was actively trying to stay hidden from law enforcement using “sophisticated techniques” before authorities uncovered their identity through “persistent online investigative efforts.”
In a press release, the Collin County Sheriff’s Office said the operation “successfully identified a juvenile suspect responsible for numerous bomb threats and swatting hoaxes across multiple states.”
The multi-agency investigation began in May 2024 when the suspect called and initiated a swatting incident at a residence in St. Paul, Texas. The investigation has linked the suspect to bomb threats at various Brookshire grocery stores, including in North Texas as well as schools in the Tyler area, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, and Mission ISD.
Investigators say the juvenile’s activities spanned across not only Texas, but also Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, identifying over 100 locations targeted by the “dangerous hoaxes.”
Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner commented on the importance of the investigation saying, “This successful operation underscores the importance of inter-agency cooperation in addressing serious threats to public safety. 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.”
The Collin County Sheriff’s Office says swatting and bomb threats pose significant dangers and there has been an increase in recent years.