Virginia boy, 11, accused of nearly 2 dozen swatting calls in multiple states

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - An 11-year-old boy from Virginia has been extradited to Florida after being accused of making fake school threats. 

Investigators say the boy, who is also suspected of similar activities in other states, made nearly two dozen swatting calls targeting Flagler and Volusia counties.

"He’s a juvenile school terrorist, quite frankly," said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.

The investigation, which began in May, involved a series of alarming calls reporting bombs in schools, detailing mass shootings in progress, and even claims of a teacher and student being shot. These calls were made to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

"We worked with the FBI and my criminal intelligence, a real-time crime center that ultimately led us to this young man in Henrico County, Virginia," Sheriff Staly said.

The sheriff explained that while the 11-year-old was tech-savvy enough to disguise his voice and hide his location, he couldn’t completely cover his tracks, allowing authorities to trace the calls back to him.

"These calls disrupted school days and diverted resources away from other possible emergencies," Staly said.

After obtaining a search warrant, authorities discovered violent and graphic videos at the boy’s home and on his devices.

"I certainly hope that as part of whatever occurs, he gets some serious mental health counseling or treatment," the sheriff added. "Some of the things we found on his cell phone and other technology are very disheartening."

The boy is facing several felony charges, including making false threats. Authorities in Virginia may also pursue additional charges.