Mississauga teen arrested after mass shooting threat against Florida Pride event
Posted June 7, 2022 6:36 am.
Last Updated June 7, 2022 6:41 am.
A 17-year-old from Mississauga has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting threat south of the border.
Police allege the teenage boy made comments about the 2SLGBTQ+ community and said he was going to commit a mass shooting at the Pride On The Block event in West Palm Beach.
The public information officer for the West Palm Beach Police Department (WPBPD) , Mike Jachles, tells CityNews the threat was made online on a video chat platform on Sunday using stolen wifi.
“He was making this threat to other people,” said Jachles. “There were other people in the chat room at the time.”
Police say the boy was seen waving a gun in the video and claimed to live in Palm Beach County in Florida.
The video was initially reported to the Miami Police Department and a criminal investigation was launched after police in Miami notified the WPBPD.
The WPBPD say their officers collaborated with the FBI, New York Police Department, Toronto Police Service and Peel Regional Police to determine the location of the suspect.
Canadian authorities arrested the teen in Toronto on Monday morning and he has been charged with threats to commit a mass shooting. The video and the firearm seen in the video have been recovered by police.
More charges are pending from American officials, including written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.
With files from The Canadian Press
