An unidentified juvenile was arrested in connection with so-called "swatting'' phone hoaxes that sent police scrambling to the homes of singer Justin Bieber and actor Ashton Kutcher, the Los Angeles Police Department announced today.
The suspect, whose name, age and gender were not released, was arrested
The Los Angeles Times reported on its website the suspect was a boy who
was arrested at his parents' Southern California home.
Police said the suspect may also be linked to other "swatting'' hoaxes, which involve prank calls to police reporting a crime in progress at a particular location, with the intent of drawing a major response from police, including a SWAT team.
On Oct. 3, police responded en masse to Kutcher's Hollywood Hills home after receiving a report that people were inside the home with guns and explosives, and some victims had been shot. The call turned out to be a hoax.
Kutcher was not home at the time, and the actor posted a picture on Twitter
from the set of "Two and a Half Men.''
A similar prank resulted in a major police response to Bieber's Calabasas home on Oct. 10.
Singer/actress Miley Cyrus' home was targeted in a "swatting'' call in August, although police did not link the suspect to that hoax.
A spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office said prosecutors were reviewing the case to determine if charges were warranted.
The FBI and the Long Beach Police Department took part in the
investigation.
