Suspect released after FBI Boston investigation leads to arrest concerning Tiverton murder claim

An investigation by the Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation into a swatting incident in Tiverton, Rhode Island, two years ago has led to the recent arrest of a 20-year-old man from Nógrád County in northern Hungary by the National Bureau of Investigation for misleading authorities about this incident.

According to a release, on April 24, 2024, a call was made to the Tiverton Police Department in Rhode Island, claiming a man had killed his family and was going to shoot his dog and himself which prompted an armed response to the address given over the phone. When Tiverton Police showed up, they determined the call was a swatting incident.

Swatting is a criminal activity by an individual (or group) who knowingly provides false information about a possible threat to life to elicit an emergency response to an ongoing critical incident. Incidents typically result in the deployment of Special Weapons and Tactics units, bomb squads, and other police units, as well as the evacuations of schools, businesses, and residences.

Making false threats drains law enforcement resources, puts innocent people at risk, and can cause significant distress or physical injury to first responders or victims.

Investigators assigned to the Providence Resident Agency of the FBI’s Boston Division, working in partnership with the Tiverton Police Department, contacted the FBI’s Law Enforcement Attache in Budapest for assistance. As a result of our strong international partnerships, the Transatlantic Department of the NII located and arrested this man after reviewing digital evidence allegedly connecting him to this hoax call.

According to Hungarian authorities, the individual admitted to the alleged crime during questioning. He’s been released from custody and is currently defending himself as this case proceeds through the judicial system in Hungary.

No further information was released as it remains an ongoing investigation.