A 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with making a bomb threat to a Northern Virginia shopping mall during the weekend, authorities said.
Prince William County police said officers responded at about 6:45 p.m. Saturday to the Potomac Mills Mall at Potomac Mills Circle, in Woodbridge, after they were alerted that someone had allegedly called in a threat to the shopping center.
While searching the mall, officers found an item that seemed “suspicious in nature” near the food court and proceeded to evacuate the immediate area while the object was identified.
The Virginia State Police Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit later determined that the device did not pose a threat, and no other suspicious objects were found at the shopping center, authorities said.
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During the investigation, officers discovered that the phone used to make the threat belonged to someone who worked at the mall. The inquiry revealed that a teen boy had approached that worker and asked if he could make a call.
The employee was unaware their phone had been used for the threat and was not involved, police said.
Investigators identified the suspect as a 14-year old boy who had been reported missing by his family earlier that day.
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Authorities arrested the teen on Sunday after he and a family member went to the police station.
The boy was charged with threats to bomb. He is being held at a juvenile detention center.
