Teen accused of swatting at Florida mosque is believed to be behind many more people
A California teenager believed to be behind dozens of so-called swatting calls across the country was extradited to Florida on Wednesday after being charged last month in connection with a false report of a mass shooting at a mosque last year, authorities said.
The teenager, Alan Winston Filion, 17, of Lancaster, California, was arrested in California on January 18 and charged as an adult with four felonies, including falsely reporting an act of terrorism involving a bomb or a weapon of mass destruction. Seminole County Sheriff's Office in Florida said in a statement on Wednesday. Mr. Filion arrived in Seminole County, Florida, on Wednesday and was being held without bond at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility, the sheriff's office said.
Mr. Filion will be arraigned on March 19, according to court records.
The FBI considers swatting, which involves false reporting of an emergency, to be a form of harassment. The agency has said that in recent years there has been an increase in swatting calls at public places such as airports and schools, as well as at the homes of public figures.
An investigation into Mr. Filion began last year after he called Sanford police in Florida on May 12, 2023, saying he was entering the Al Hayy Mosque with a fully automatic rifle to carry out a mass shooting, an investigator said . arrest statement.
While on the phone with police, Mr. Filion played audio of gunshots in the background, prompting more than 30 law enforcement officers to respond to the mosque, according to the affidavit. Once there, deputies found there was no shooter and everyone in the mosque was safe, the sheriff's office said.
FBI agents served a search warrant at Mr. Filion's California home on July 15, 2023, and obtained a number of “devices.” Social media activity and other information collected through these devices, which officers did not specifically identify, led authorities to believe that Mr. Filion may be behind dozens of swatting calls across the country that targeted a government building, a Jewish children's hospital, several schools, several historically black colleges and universities, and his own home, according to the arrest affidavit.
If Mr. Filion is found to be behind those other swatting calls, he could face additional charges in other cities, the sheriff's office said.
An attorney for Mr. Filion and Seminole County prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.
Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said in a statement Wednesday that swatting “places innocent lives in dangerous situations and depletes valuable resources.”
“The substantial law enforcement response in this swatting case underscores our continued commitment to community safety and holding offenders accountable, no matter where they are,” said Sheriff Lemma.
Religious buildings, such as synagogues, have suffered attacks in recent years. Political figures were also targeted, including Nikki Haley, the Republican presidential candidate, in December. Jack Smith, the special counsel who brought the election subversion charges against President Donald J. Trump, was also the target of a hit in December.