Court records show cyberbullying of Raleigh teen linked to false threats at Athens Drive High School

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- New court records obtained by ABC11 connect multiple fake shooting threats at Athens Drive High School in Raleigh to a dark and dangerous online world.

The investigation into why and who is behind the bogus threats continues, but police say it could be linked to a bigger problem.

Raleigh Police said it all started from an online chat.

According to police, it began in July when a juvenile student was unwillingly added to a group chat on the online platform Discord.

RPD said a user identified as "kryl" told the student to harm himself.

The user threatened to share the teen's private information and tell police that a violent crime was happening at the teen's home if the student did not comply.

Once the student refused, "kryl" then started "swatting" the student --- a form of illegal bullying behavior.

Swatting is a slang term to refer to an intentionally false report of imminent violence at a residence, business, or school to harass and/or endanger a specific person and/or location through a large police and/or emergency service response.

Court documents show that on July 12, RPD responded to the teen's home after an online pizza order was submitted to a Pizza Hut with the message, "Help, he has a gun send help."

That turned out to be a false alarm.

Days later, on July 18, RPD was again called to the home after a second false report of violence.

Fast forward to Sept. 10, RPD received a report of an active shooter at Athens Drive.

That was reported by a Domino's Pizza on Western Boulevard after the delivery instructions said there was a shooter at the school.

None of the threats turned out to be credible; instead, they were efforts to harass the student.

Police said they believe there have been other victims of this online chat. investigators are still working to identify the person behind the account.