The frantic responses from American law enforcement allegedly triggered by a 13-year-old Australian boy were covered extensively on the news in the US with local reporters even capturing terrified students evacuating schools, universities and shopping centres.
The 13-year-old boy, from the NSW Central Coast town of Wyong, was charged on Tuesday, accused of causing widespread panic across the United States by making hoax calls claiming active shooters were opening fire at schools and universities.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: American media cover emergency response to alleged hoax calls
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The teenager allegedly contacted American authorities on multiple occasions, triggering large-scale emergency responses at multiple schools, universities and major retailers across America.
Students were forced to shelter in place for nearly two hours at some locations, fleeing what they believed was an active shooter situation.
Officials say the calls included background noise that mimicked gunfire.
The alleged hoax calls came from 16,000km away in Australia, with police tracing them to the boy’s parents’ house in Wyong.
Media reports from the US captured students evacuating schools and colleges in response to the alleged hoaxes. Credit: 7NEWSTeens flee university in the US after alleged gunman hoax. Credit: 7NEWS
The AFP was tipped off about the Central Coast teenager’s potential involvement by the FBI.
It’s alleged he orchestrated a dozen hoax calls, including one to Walmart.
The 13-year-old is accused of setting up a sophisticated computer system which allowed him to make the calls to multiple retailers and schools.
The crime is known as “swatting” — calls made to emergency services to trigger an urgent and large-scale emergency response.
The multi-agency investigation was launched in October, with the teen arrested in December.
He faced Wyong Children’s Court on Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of using a telecommunications system to commit a serious offence and one count of possessing an unauthorised firearm.
A gun allegedly recovered from the home. Credit: AFPPolice uncovered a sophisticated computer set up. Credit: AFP
7NEWS has been told the boy had set up a soundproof booth within his bedroom where he was able to make the alleged calls.
His parents thought he was gaming.
It’s alleged the boy was wrapped up in an online criminal network which AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett vowed to dismantle in October.
“The task force’s mission is to identify, disrupt and dismantle those online criminal ecosystems that target Australians,” Commissioner Barrett said.
The boy has been granted strict conditional bail and banned from accessing computers.
