According to the Macomb sheriff office, a Dakota High School student used the “dark web” to create a fake mass shooting report. The fake report caused a lockdown and a response from the police.
The boy is being held in the Juvneile Justice Center , he appeared in Juvenile Court on Tuesday and was charged with false threat of terrorism, an offense punishable with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The sheriff alleged that student paid someone he met on the dark web to set up the hoax. The hoax involved a person identifying himself as a student calling the police at 1:25 p.m. on Monday to say he had been shot in his house, but the caller gave the police the address of the Macomb Township school.
According to the sheriff, a few minutes after the call, someone claiming to be a teacher called a nearby police department and reported multiple shots had been fired outside of his classroom. The fake teacher told the dispatcher multiple shots were fired outside his classroom.
The sheriff office placed the school on lockdown and first responders converged on the 21 Mile Road campus.
Officials said “Numerous deputies, as well as fire and EMS responded to Dakota High School as this incident was treated as an active-shooter incident, … Deputies entered both the high school and ninth-grade center, which were placed into lockdown status, and cleared both buildings. No shooter was located. No victims or witnesses were located. No evidence of any type of shooting was located.”
After a short time the lockdown was lifted.
Sheriff Anthony Wickersham statement
Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said “I am grateful that this incident turned out to be an empty threat; however, we take ‘swatting’ type calls very seriously,”. “I want the community to be assured that we will continue to train and work with our schools to ensure safety for all.”
Sheriff’s investigators were able to identify the student who set up the prank and searched his home, under his and his parents’ cooperation.
The youngster is due to appear in court on May 5.
The student used a social media app to connect to the dark web.
Schools Superintendent Ron Roberts said that “the safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority,”.
Ron Roberts said, “This incident is a reminder that no threat, whether in word or deed, will be tolerated at Chippewa Valley Schools and all threats will be thoroughly investigated,”.