Australian Teen Cited For Swatting After Calling In Threats To Howard County High School

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A teenager from Australia has been cited with phoning in a hoax bomb and shooting threat at River Hill High School that happened in October 2022.

According to the Howard County Police Department, the teenage boy carried out numerous similar threats across the United States. These calls, known as swatting, are taken seriously by police. But the fake bomb and shooting threats mean police resources are wasted, students, staff and parents are frightened, and school is disrupted, the department noted.

"Once police confirmed the threat was a hoax, HCPD detectives launched into an expansive and thorough investigation that included more than 20 search warrants for digital evidence and coordination with multiple other local and federal agencies," the police department disclosed.

As a result, detectives identified the suspected caller on the other side of the globe and Australian authorities cited him accordingly. Police continue to investigate whether he had any accomplices.

"HCPD investigates all threats of violence and swatting calls. Even if meant as a hoax, it is a serious crime. We’d like to recognize the tenacity of our detectives in investigating this complicated case and holding those responsible accountable," the police department stated.