17-year-old faces charges of making false reports after threats to shoot up Sanford mosque
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A California teen was arrested after a “swatting incident” at a mosque in Seminole County, according to the sheriff’s office on Tuesday.
Deputies said that the investigation began in May 2023 after police received a call from a male who said he was going to conduct a mass shooting at the Masjid Al Hayy Mosque.
In a release, investigators said the caller “made references to Satanism,” claiming that he had a handgun and “explosive devices.”
In addition, the caller began playing audio of gunfire in the background, deputies explained.
“I just finished reading the Devil’s Quran. I’m going to (unintelligible) and commit a mass shooting at 786 Myrtle Street in Sanford,” the caller can be heard saying in the 911 call. “It is a false mosque that prays to the Demiurge Saturn.”
[LISTEN TO THE 911 CALL IN THE AUDIO PLAYER BELOW]
As a result, around 30 law enforcement officers responded to the mosque, though no shooter was found, and the mosque staff were all safe, the release shows.
After realizing it was a “swatting incident,” deputies began investigating alongside the FBI and the Department of Justice, eventually determining that the suspect was a 17-year-old from Lancaster, California.
The release says that the teen had created several accounts on websites offering swatting services, and a search warrant was served at his home in July.
On Jan. 18, the teen was taken into custody, and deputies said he was charged as an adult. He faces the following charges:
False Report Concerning Planting of Bomb, Explosive or Use of a Weapon of Mass Destruction or Concerning the Use of Firearms in a Violent Manner While Facilitating or Furthering an Act of Terrorism and While Evidencing Prejudice based on the Race, Color, Ancestry, Ethnicity, Religion, Sexual Orientation, National Origin, Homeless Status or Advanced Age of the Victim
Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device While Facilitating or Furthering an Act of Terrorism and While Evidencing Prejudice based on the Race, Color, Ancestry, Ethnicity, Religion, Sexual Orientation, National Origin, Homeless Status or Advanced Age of the Victim
False Report to Law Enforcement Concerning Commission of a Capital Felony While Facilitating or Furthering an Act of Terrorism and While Evidencing Prejudice based on the Race, Color, Ancestry, Ethnicity, Religion, Sexual Orientation, National Origin, Homeless Status or Advanced Age of the Victim
False Report to Law Enforcement Causing Public Safety Agency Response (Swatting) While Facilitating or Furthering an Act of Terrorism and While Evidencing Prejudice based on the Race, Color, Ancestry, Ethnicity, Religion, Sexual Orientation, National Origin, Homeless Status or Advanced Age of the Victim
The teen was extradited to Seminole County on Tuesday, where he is held on no bond, the release states.
Investigators said they believe that the teen could also be connected to other swatting cases across the United States.
“Swatting is a perilous and senseless crime, which puts innocent lives in dangerous situations and drains valuable resources,” Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said. “The substantial law enforcement response in this swatting case underscores our unwavering dedication to community safety and holding offenders accountable, regardless of where they are located. Make no mistake, we will continue to work tirelessly in collaboration with our policing partners and the judiciary to apprehend swatting perpetrators. Gratitude is extended to all agencies involved at the local, state, and federal levels, and this particular investigation and case stands as a stern warning: swatting will face zero tolerance, and measures are in place to identify and prosecute those responsible for such crimes.”
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