LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Police have identified a 15-year-old boy from Cape Coral, Florida—and accused him of ‘swatting’ multiple schools and doctor’s offices in the Jackson area.
Officials say on Sunday, Oct. 13, Grass Lake High School and at least four additional schools in Jackson County received similar calls from the suspect about bombs in the school’s ceilings.
The suspect also allegedly called one local physician in Grass Lake and said he put fentanyl in IV bags.
‘Swatting’ is a prank where someone will call the authorities and describe a heinous crime to lure a SWAT team to someone’s home or work address. Law enforcement has to take every call seriously, and when someone calls in a hoax targeting schools or hospitals, it tends to lead to a massive response and big consequences for whoever made the call.
“Because of the nature of the call, you’re going to have ambulatory personnel on standby as well as fire,” says Christopher Simpson, Jackson County Undersheriff. “You’re looking at canine bomb-sniffing dogs to help with a potential search. You’re looking at potentially evacuating a school if you need to.”