Teen Facing Felony Charge For Prank Phone Call

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Police say a 14-year-old upstate New York boy is facing a felony charge for prank calling a suicide prevention hotline and threatening to shoot people at school.

Syracuse.com reports the North Syracuse boy was charged Nov. 26 with making a terroristic threat.

Police say the boy called the hotline last month and said he was going to kill his family and people at Grant High School.

Authorities say the boy named the high school knowing it didn't exist, but Syracuse police responded to Grant Middle School anyway and did a sweep of the building.

North Syracuse Police Chief Steve Rotunno says the boy wanted to one-up his friends and "tied up police resources on nonsense."

The boy has not been identified due to his age.

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Information from: The Post-Standard, http://www.syracuse.com