2 teens tied to Baker School swatting: Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the source of a November swatting, or prank emergency call, at Baker School.
So far, OCSO has identified two 14-year-olds — one who attends Baker School and another from Mansfield, Texas — as suspects. Both are believed to be a part of a national swatting group that pays members with cryptocurrency to commit crimes.
The group, called LulzSEC, lawmen said, is believed to be responsible for swatting incidents in the United States and Canada.
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About November’s swatting at Baker School
The Texas teen told investigators the Baker student asked for a member to swat that school, the OCSO said in a news release.
The Crestview Police Department received the swatting/hoax call at 8:46 a.m. on Nov. 3. It said an armed individual was preparing to start a mass shooting at Baker School, which led to local lockdowns.
“The hoax call led to a massive, immediate and intense response by law enforcement and other emergency responders, sending fear through the entire community and taking them away from potential legitimate emergencies,” Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said. “This crime is no prank. It has real and dangerous consequences.”
Further investigation led Okaloosa County investigators to trace the phone call to a Mansfield, Texas, address.
They interviewed the 14-year-old from Mansfield and gained a search warrant for his cellphone, which led to the Baker School student and the “LulzSEC” group, the OCSO said.
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What’s happening to the suspects
The Mansfield, Texas, teenager is expected to be extradited to Okaloosa County. He will face charges of making an electronic threat of a mass shooting, making a false report of firearms being used in a violent manner, use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony and interference with school functions, according to the OCSO.
The Baker student is believed to be tied to other swatting calls nationwide, including in Ewing, New Jersey; Buckeye, Arizona; Clayton, Indiana; and Houston, Texas. He will face multiple felonies in connection to those cases.
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School superintendent: Zero tolerance for safety threats
“In our school district, the safety of our students and staff is the number one priority,” Okaloosa School Superintendent Marcus Chambers said. “I could not be more proud of our students, teachers, staff, principals, and parents for how they reacted to the events that unfolded at Baker and Crestview Schools.
“I want to express my gratitude for the patience and understanding of the parents and all the first responders who reacted swiftly and worked diligently to bring this individual to justice. We will not tolerate any behavior, hoax or otherwise, that has the potential to threaten the safety of our schools.”
Residents can contact Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-863-TIPS, emeraldcoastcrimestoppers.com, or on the P3 Tips mobile app.
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