Albany teen arrested for Crossgates Mall swatting incident

A 14-year-old teen was arrested Friday for falsely reporting a shooting in the Macy’s parking lot at Crossgates Mall, according to Guilderland Police.

Police said they received a call that two people were shot around 12:34 p.m. The caller claimed the shooter then headed towards a wooded area close by.

Guilderland Police said they soon discovered the report was bogus. The teen was taken into custody after an investigation.

The call prompted a response from multiple law enforcement agencies and put Westmere Elementary School on temporary lockout.

The teen was charged with 3rd degree Falsely Reporting an Incident and released to a family member.