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Police forces investigating whether teen was behind 3 'swatting' incidents

Three police forces are investigating whether an Ontario teen arrested Wednesday is behind "swatting" incidents dating back to February.

3 police forces working to see if 'there is any connection' behind prank calls

A school in Brampton, Ont., was locked down following a 'swatting' incident on May 26. Police are investigating if a teen who was charged Wednesday is behind several similar incidents. (Linda Ward/CBC)

Three police forces are investigating whether an Ontario teen arrested Wednesday is behind "swatting" incidents dating back to February.

On Wednesday, OPP said the teenfromNew Tecumseth,Ont., faces four charges in total, including public mischief and sending false messages. Thesuspectcannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

OPP officials couldn't say if theteen is connected toswatting incidents in Richmond Hill and Brampton, but said they are working with York and Peel region police to explore that possibility.

In a statement issued Thursday, OPP said, "We can't confirm whether this individual is connected with the York and Peel incidents recently covered in the media but we can say that we are working collaboratively with those two respective police forces to see if there is any connection."

Peel Police said Thursday that the teen's arrest is "not believed to be related to their recent schoolswattingincident." They were referring to a Brampton school that was in lockdown and three others that were in hold-and-secure after receiving what they believed was a hoax call Tuesday.

And York Police say they haven't ruled out whether the arrest is related to an incident early Sunday morning. A full York police Emergency Task Force (ETF) team swept through a Richmond Hill home just before 6 a.m. after a caller said a man in the home had shot his family with an assault rifle.