Minnesota teen charged in Moore County with 'swatting' incident

Nancy McCleary, The Sanford Herald, N.C.
·1 min read

Dec. 6—CARTHAGE — A false report of multiple shooting victims that came into the Moore County Sheriff's Office in October has resulted in the arrest of a Minnesota teen.

Austin Dow, 18, Detroit Lakes, was arrested Tuesday after he was brought to North Carolina to face charges, a Sheriff's Office release said.

Detroit Lakes is about 54 miles east of Fargo, a city that straddles the North Dakota-Minnesota state line.

On Oct. 16, the Sheriff's Office received a report of a shooting that injured multiple people in Vass. Deputies responded, evaluated the circumstances, and determined that there was no shooting before the Sheriff's Response Team was dispatched.

"Sheriff's investigators were quickly able to trace the false report to a single person," identified as Dow, the release said.

Dow allegedly made the call, known as "swatting," as "revenge over a failed internet relationship with a local female," the release said. "Dow had demanded money from the female under threats of calling law enforcement prior to making the report."

Dow is charged with felony extortion, misdemeanor conspiracy, filing a false police report and interfering with emergency communications.

He was released to the custody of his parents pending a first appearance hearing today in Moore County District Court.