MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A teenager from Texas has been arrested in connection with a bomb threat that was called in to the Martinsburg Police Department May 9th.
That bomb threat happened during a meeting of the Martinsburg City Council, which is using the George Karos Community Room in the MPD building during City Hall renovations.
Martinsburg Police Chief Erin Gibbons tells the Panhandle News Network a 15-year-old suspect from Muleshoe, Texas, was arrested May 10th.
He has been charged with a third-degree felony in Bailey County, Texas, for making terrorist threats.
He also faces a charge of Disrupting a Governmental Event related to the incident during that council meeting in Martinsburg.
“Furthermore, the suspect is facing five more charges connected to other incidents across the country, where he allegedly called in bomb threats,” according to Chief Gibbons, who explained the suspect contacted various police departments, falsely claiming he had placed bombs on their patrol cars and threatened to shoot officers upon their arrival.
“The arrest of this individual is a crucial step in ensuring the safety and security of our community,” according to Chief Gibbons. “We are grateful for the collaboration and swift action taken by law enforcement agencies across multiple states to bring this case to a resolution.”
Chief Gibbons expressed appreciation to the Eastern Panhandle Drugs and Violent Crimes Task Force, the FBI, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.