Statement from Alachua County Sheriff’s Office

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – On the afternoon of Thursday, January 8, 2026, detectives from the Intelligence Led Policing (ILP) Unit were called upon by investigators from the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office for assistance.

The detectives from ILP discovered that earlier that day, the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office had been alerted to a mass shooting threat and the possible placement of an explosive device at Columbia High School in Columbia Station, Ohio. The threat was made by a young male who declared, “I’m about to call in a bomb threat, I’m about to run in your school and kill everyone. I’m outside with an AR-15.”

Authorities from the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, supported by Columbia Township Fire, Lorain County Metro Parks, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, swiftly responded to the school. Following a comprehensive investigation, it was determined that the incident was a hoax, known as “swatting.”

During the investigation, Lorain County detectives traced the IP address linked to the Google Voice number used for the call back to a residence in Hawthorne.

The ACSO ILP Unit promptly initiated further inquiries, which directed them to a home in Cross Creek, where a family with two juvenile males resided. Upon speaking with the caregiver, detectives identified the voice in the recorded call as that of a 12-year-old boy living in the home. The boy was taken into custody and questioned at the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office in the presence of his guardian.

At the completion of the interview, Detectives established probable cause to charge him with the following violations of Florida State Statute:

790.163 – False report concerning planting a bomb, an explosive, or a weapon of mass destruction, or concerning the use of firearms in a violent manner.

934.215 – Unlawful use of a two-way communications device

ACSO Detectives notified the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office of the arrest before transporting the juvenile to the Department of Juvenile Justice Detention Facility.

Sheriff Scott wants to commend the collaboration between our Detectives and the Investigators with the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, who seamlessly worked together with the common mission of holding this young man accountable for very poor actions that led to mass panic at Columbia High School.