L.A. County teen accused of ‘swatting’ Florida mosque, suspected in other hoax threats
He called law enforcement to say he was going to shoot up a Florida mosque. Then, there were sounds of gunfire.
But it was all fake, authorities say. And now, a teenager from Lancaster has been arrested on suspicion of phoning in the phony threat.
The incident occurred May 12, when law enforcement in Seminole County received a call from someone who said he was entering the Masjid Al Hayy in Sanford, Fla., to carry out a mass shooting.
The caller made references to Satanism and said he had a handgun and explosives, authorities said in a statement.
“He then began playing audio of gunfire in the background,” the statement continued.
The FBI arrested a child Tuesday in connection with dozens of “swatting” incidents targeting synagogues last summer, including two in Orange County.
Seminole County law enforcement responded to the mosque, but when officers arrived they found there was no shooter.
Officers determined the call was a swatting incident — in which someone reports a false crime or emergency at a specific location to provoke an aggressive law enforcement response, often from a SWAT team.
An investigation, conducted in partnership with the Justice Department and FBI, identified the suspect as Alan Winston Filion, 17, of Lancaster.
Investigators allege they found various IP addresses connected to several accounts he created on websites offering swatting services.
Two men are charged with breaking into Ring home security camera systems and making false emergency reports to police.
The FBI searched Filion’s home July 15, and a warrant was later issued for his arrest.
On Jan.18, with assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Filion was taken into custody and booked into Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.
He has been charged in Florida as an adult and faces several felony charges, including making a false report of violence, unlawful use of a communication device, false report to law enforcement concerning commission of a capital felony while facilitating or furthering an act of terrorism, and swatting.
Melina Abdullah, a protest leader and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, said she was the target of a third “swatting” incident in which a false 911 call drew police to her home.
Filion was extradited to Seminole County on Tuesday and booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility.
Investigators believe Filion may also be connected to other swatting incidents across the country.
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