June 6, 2022
An international, multiagency investigation led to the overnight arrest of the suspect who made online threats to shoot people at an LGBTQ+ event in West Palm Beach.
The arrest was announced by Deputy Police Chief Rick Morris, who was joined by representatives from LGBTQ Compass and Transpire Help.
Sunday June 5, 2022, the Miami Police Department received a report of a threatened mass shooting to occur at the Pride on the Block 2022 event in West Palm Beach.
The threat was made on a video chat platform, Omegle. The suspect, waving a gun in the video, said he lived in Palm Beach County, made anti-LGBTQ+ comments, and was going to commit a mass shooting on that day, at that event.
Miami Police Department notified the West Palm Beach Department (WPBPD) and a criminal investigation was launched.
In addition to augmenting the existing security plan for the event with additional uniformed, undercover and SWAT officers, the WPBPD’s Strategic Intelligence Center (STIC) developed information that ultimately identified the location of the suspect.
The international investigation involved collaboration with the NYPD New York Police Department, Toronto Police Service and Peel Regional Police and FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation,
In the early morning hours of June 6, the 17-year-old was arrested in Canada for making the threats.
Canadian authorities have charged the suspect with threats to commit a mass shooting.
Charges are pending from the West Palm Beach Police Department for Florida State Statute
836.10: Written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.
