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Teen arrested in Internet hoax that flooded 911 with calls

LACEY, Wash. — A high-tech prank strained the Thurston County dispatch system Tuesday night, making it hard for dispatchers to answer urgent calls.

The tweet that started the trouble came at around 9:30 PM.  According to the Olympian newspaper, it contained a link that if clicked hijacked your cell phone, causing it to dial 9-1-1 again and again.  Some had to shut off their phones to stop the dialing.

For about a half hour, Thurston County dispatchers got an average of one 911 call every thirty seconds.  Most people hung up immediately, but each call had to be followed up on to make sure a real emergency wasn’t missed.

According to the Olympian, Lacey Police were able to trace the hoax to an 18-year-old who claimed he got the link from a friend.  Police said he tearfully confessed when he was arrested for “electronic data service interference,” a felony.

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