Coty J. Clements, a North Port resident, was charged with making a false bomb threat at a Walmart in Port Charlotte.
He claimed to have been inspired by a TikTok trend and was subsequently identified and confessed to the crime.
The sheriff emphasized that threats will not be tolerated and commended the quick response of authorities.
“The caller advised dispatch that there was a bomb inside the Neighborhood Walmart and then hung up the phone,” the sheriff’s office stated. “When dispatch attempted to call back, the suspect picked up the phone and stated, ‘Tic Toc, Tic Toc’ and hung up again.”
“He also stated that he was able to see via his Bluetooth watch that 911 was attempting to call him,” they said. “He was then able to ping the location of his phone to the stall in which he had left it.”
“Being that Clements was the only one seen entering and exiting the restroom during the time the call was made, he was detained and questioned,” police noted. “During that interview, Clements provided a full confession, noting that he saw people make similar calls on the ‘Tik Tok’ app.”
“Threats of any kind will not be tolerated in Charlotte County, and for this individual, I believe he learned that lesson promptly,” Sheriff Bill Prummell stated.
“Thankfully there was no actual threat to the public, but I want to commend the quick responses of my dispatchers as well as the deputies in ensuring the safety of the scene and in locating this suspect,” he added.
Clements was released on bond and is scheduled for a court appearance in February.
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