YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A 12-year-old boy faces charges after the Yuma Police Department (YPD) said he sent threatening text messages to a group chat for a local youth soccer team.
According to YPD, officers were notified Monday afternoon after messages suggested a possible planned incident at the Ray Kroc Sports Complex.
As a precaution, the parents canceled the football practice scheduled for that evening. Police also patrolled the park and conducted security checks in the area to ensure public safety.
Investigators later determined the boy was mistakenly added to the football team’s chat group and had no connection to the team.
The YPD said the boy admitted to sending the messages and told officers he considered them a joke, and said the case would be referred to the Yuma County Juvenile Justice Center for review.
Yuma resident Clifton Bogie regularly walks through nearby fields and says he’s sad to hear these threats being made.
“Well, I’m glad nothing bad happened, but it’s pretty ridiculous that these kids today are making these threats, which is unfounded,” Bogie says.
