Brooklyn boy, 16, busted for making threats to schools across Texas, Florida, even targeting family of Uvalde massacre victim: cops

A teenager from Brooklyn has been apprehended for allegedly making threats to schools in Texas and Florida, including targeting a relative of a victim of the Uvalde school massacre on TikTok. The 16-year-old boy was arrested at his home on May 1 and charged with one felony count of making terroristic threats, according to the Uvalde Police Department.

The teenager is accused of sending threats directly to a family member of a victim of the Uvalde shooting on TikTok, as well as making multiple “swatting” calls and sending threats to the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District on social media in January. Additionally, he confessed to making swatting calls to schools and law enforcement agencies in Uvalde, San Antonio, Coral Springs, and Parkland, Florida.

Following the threats made in Uvalde, investigators were able to trace the calls to the New York area. The teenager also admitted to researching active shooter incidents and monitoring social media accounts of law enforcement agencies and students in the Uvalde school district.

A three-month investigation called “Long Arm of Justice” involving 14 agencies across Texas, Florida, and New York led detectives from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office to the teen’s residence. Upon searching his home, it was found that he did not have access to weapons and had no direct connections to Uvalde, San Antonio, or Florida.

Although the teenager’s actions did not result in any physical harm, they had significant implications for school safety, community security, and the allocation of law enforcement resources, according to Uvalde police. The teen was charged with one felony count of making terroristic threats and four misdemeanor counts of false reporting of an emergency.

Uvalde Police Chief Homer E. Delgado emphasized the importance of holding individuals accountable for threatening the community and disrupting safety. The case is being prosecuted in Texas, with the Brooklyn DA’s office assisting in the arrest. The teenager’s identity has not been disclosed by law enforcement due to his status as a juvenile.