TYLER, Texas — A child with East Texas connections was identified as the person who police say made numerous bomb threats and swatting hoaxes across multiple states and locations, including Brookshire’s grocery stores in Tyler last week.
According to the Collin County Sheriff's Office, their deputies along with officers with Tyler Police Department, Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI executed a search warrant in Smith County this past Saturday. That effort identified a juvenile suspect as the person responsible for the threats and hoaxes in multiple states, the CCSO said.
Officials said the investigation began in May when the suspect created a swatting incident at a home in St. Paul, Texas. After several warrants, the suspect was linked to bomb threats at Brookshire’s grocery stores, schools in the Tyler area, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, and Mission ISD. Charges against the juvenile are pending.
Last Friday, Tyler Police spokesperson Andy Erbaugh said that police investigated bomb threats at the Brookshire's locations on Rice Rd. and 5th St. He said nothing was found ultimately during the search.
Investigators learned the suspect's activities spanned across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Currently, investigators have identified 100 locations targeted by these hoaxes.
"Despite employing sophisticated techniques to stay hidden, the suspect’s identity was ultimately uncovered through persistent online investigative efforts," the Collin County Sheriff's Office said.
The sheriff's office said swatting and bomb threats pose significant dangers and law enforcement has seen a significant increase in these incidents.
"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," Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner said.