An 11-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with making a series of threats that forced the closure of all Stark Library locations, which remain shuttered Wednesday as investigations continue.
Canton police arrested the juvenile after he allegedly made multiple false emergency calls targeting the Stark County District Library. According to authorities, the series of threats began Monday with a false report of an armed person in the library.
On Tuesday around 11:45 a.m., police say the boy called the Crisis Center Suicide Hotline claiming he had shot someone inside the library. Approximately 30 minutes later, at 12:15 p.m., he allegedly called the hotline again reporting a bomb threat.
The juvenile has been taken into custody on charges of swatting and inducing panic. He is currently being held at a juvenile detention center, according to Canton police.
Canton Police Chief John Gabbard confirmed that responding officers cleared and secured the main library in response to all three reports. The suspect, who lives in Canton, faces felony charges.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Canton police at 330-489-3144.
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