Crime and Courts

Teen Gamer in Virginia Involved in Recent Tri-State College Bomb Threats: Sources

Separately, authorities said a New York teen was allegedly involved in swatting incidents in Los Angeles in August and September, and part of a group linked to 30 other bomb threats and swatting incidents, according to officials

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The 14-year-old gamer from Virginia is allegedly responsible for the bomb threat at tri-state schools such as Yale, Columbia and NYU in recent days and weeks.

A teenage gamer in Virginia is said to be involved in the recent spate of bomb threats at colleges and universities in the tri-state area, law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told NBC New York.

It was not immediately clear which specific threats the 14-year-old was involved in, but there have been scares in recent weeks at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, Cornell University, Brown University, Columbia University in Morningside Heights and on Thursday at NYU in Lower Manhattan.

Each incident has led to building evacuations and campus alerts sent to students, faculty and staff, and each was later deemed safe.

NBC New York is not identifying the teen due to his status as a minor.

Separately, authorities said several "online persons operating on the Discord chat platform" were involved in swatting incidents in Los Angeles back in August and September. The individuals in that group have allegedly been linked to 30 other bomb threats and swatting incidents.

The suspects range in age from 13-16 years old, with one of the teens allegedly involved living in Yonkers, authorities said. Other suspects are from Harford County, Maryland, and Medina County, Ohio, as well as a teen in Cyprus.

A spokeswoman with FBI New York confirmed the office assisted with the Los Angeles authorities in the investigation.

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