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The incident happened on Wednesday, May 3 just after 11:30 a.m., when officers responded to Lincoln High School in Yonkers at 375 Kneeland Ave. after receiving an anonymous report of shots fired, according to Yonkers Police.
Once they arrived at the school, responding officers made contact with school officials and searched the building before determining that no shots had been fired and that the report had been unfounded.
Realizing that the school had been a victim of a swatting incident, an emergency police response to a falsely reported high-risk scenario, police began a criminal investigation and quickly identified a suspect with the help of Yonkers Public Schools officials.
Eventually, it was determined that a 14-year-old boy at the school made the call and was also likely responsible for previous fraudulent calls, police said. He was then placed into custody and brought to the Community Affairs Division where he was charged with falsely reporting an incident, a felony.
The student was then issued a desk appearance ticket returnable to Family Court and discharged in the custody of his parent.
Yonkers Police said that such swatting incidents are a large threat to school safety.
"Falsely reporting an incident is a serious crime that negatively impacts police services and the well-being of those affected and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," the department said.
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