Australian teen charged with making hoax mass shooting calls in the US
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Police seized a number of electronic devices and a prohibited firearm from the teen's home in December 2025.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY
SYDNEY – A teenage boy from regional Australia has been charged with calling in false reports of mass shootings at US retailers and educational institutions that allegedly caused widespread alarm, the police said on Jan 13.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said their investigation began after receiving Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) intelligence about an Australian-based member of an online crime network suspected of being linked to major “swatting” hoax calls.
The police executed a search warrant at the boy’s home in regional New South Wales (NSW) state in December 2025, seizing a number of electronic devices and a prohibited firearm.
They charged him with 12 counts of telecommunications offences, alleging the boy made multiple hoax calls to emergency services falsely claiming mass shootings were taking place at US retail and educational institutions.
The boy was also charged with one count of unauthorised possession of a prohibited firearm.
“In this investigation, a young boy from regional NSW allegedly caused widespread alarm and turmoil to thousands of people, businesses and services in the United States, resulting in significant financial implications,” said AFP acting assistant commissioner Graeme Marshall.
He said such crimes were often perpetrated by young males aged 11 to 25 to achieve status, notoriety and recognition in their online groups.
FBI international operations division assistant director Jason Kaplan said swatting was a dangerous and disruptive crime that endangered lives and drained critical emergency resources.
“This case demonstrates that anonymity online is an illusion, and we are committed to working with the AFP, our international partners and private sector partners to identify and hold accountable those who exploit technology to cause harm to communities,” he said.
The boy was investigated through AFP’s Taskforce Pompilid, launched in October 2025 to target members of decentralised crime networks. REUTERS
