Three juveniles are facing multiple charges related to falsely reporting homicides, according to the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities have confirmed they are the same three juveniles charged with making false bomb and shooting threats toward Planet Fitness and Domino’s Pizza.
According to a release, OPD began receiving terroristic threatening complaints from Planet Fitness on Frederica Street on June 6, and they continued daily through June 10. Patrol officers responded each time to investigate.
According to a release, at approximately 12:20 a.m. on June 9, Daviess County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) patrol deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 5200 block of Sheffield Drive in western Daviess County for a welfare check.
“A subject had called Owensboro-Daviess County Central Dispatch and gave the name of a juvenile that resides at that location and reported that he had killed his parents and two younger siblings,” the release says. “Deputies arrived and spoke to the homeowner and verified that everyone in the home was okay and that they did not know who had made the report.”
Deputies left the residence and proceeded to open a “swatting” investigation, according to DCSO.
“Later that day, a second call was placed to Central Dispatch in which a caller once again gave the same address and claimed to be a resident of the home and that he had just killed his family. Deputies responded, contacted the residents of the home, and again verified that everyone was okay,” the release says.
DCSO reported that on June 12, deputies received information from Owensboro Police Department detectives regarding potential suspects. DCSO Corporal Nick Hines, lead investigator on the case, went to OPD and spoke to the three juvenile suspects.
According to the release, the juveniles “stated that they had called 911 and one of them acted as the son of the alleged victims and stated that he just killed his family. All three admitted to being a part of the incident.”
Hines observed a video the juveniles had made of themselves making the phone call to Central Dispatch and they admitted that they “made the phone call to be funny,” according to the release.
All three juveniles were charged for their involvement and lodged at the Warren County Juvenile Detention Center.
Juvenile No. 1 was charged with:
• Making a false report (emergency response generated) (2 counts)
• Harassment (no physical contact) (2 counts)
• False use of an emergency party line
Juvenile No. 2 was charged with:
• Making a false report (emergency response generated)
• Harassment (no physical contact) (4 counts)
• False use of an emergency party line
Juvenile No. 3 was charged with:
• Making a false report (emergency response generated) – complicity
• Harassment (No Physical Contact) – complicity (4 counts)
• False use of an Emergency Party Line – complicity
