FBI Arrests Juvenile Suspected of ‘Swatting’ Synagogues, Churches in Orange County

The juvenile is allegedly a member of an online swatting ring that targeted numerous religious, educational, and public institutions in the United States.

Santa Ana SWAT teams and Orange County Fire Authority HAZMAT crews secure Santa Ana High School as parents and family members wait for students on lock down after bomb and weapon threats circulated at the school in Santa Ana, Calif., on March 10, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Authorities arrested a juvenile suspected of conducting so-called swatting attacks at Jewish synagogues in Tustin and Fullerton, California, the Federal Bureau of Investigations announced Dec. 13.

Swatting involves calling 911 and reporting a fake emergency that draws a heavy response from law enforcement and usually a SWAT team. Callers often make false reports of gun threats, bombs, or hostages, the FBI said.