INCIDENT AT BOCA RATON TOWN CENTER MALL

WATCH THE VIDEO THAT MAY HAVE LED TO THE LOCKDOWN.

GAMER LIVE STREAMING FROM MALL APPARENTLY LEADS TO LOCKDOWN, FEAR OF ACTIVE SHOOTER.

BOCA RATON POLICE QUESTIONABLE INFORMATION RELEASE LEADS TO FEAR. ARE COPS CONFUSED? IS IT A BOMB? IS IT A SHOOTER? IS IT A GAMER? DO COPS HAVE ANY IDEA?

BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher

BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2024 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — (7:29 p.m.) Fans of a gamer who was live streaming his shopping visit to Boca Raton Town Center Mall Saturday apparently wanted to keep him at the mall so called in a threat to the Boca Raton Police Department. The threat, about bombs and guns being in a vehicle in the parking lot, led to a lockdown and massive police response. Shoppers were pushed into closets and storage rooms as police tried to figure out what was going on. As of 7:29 p.m. Saturday, the Boca Raton Police Department has still not issued a definitive statement about what happened hours earlier.

But BocaNewsNow.com, relying on sources and witnesses, has put together what we believe to be the an accurate narrative of events. It is unclear why the Boca Raton Police Department is saying so little about the incident that left shoppers panicked and fearing for their lives.

Around 4:30 p.m., a group of fans of a teen who goes by the name “Clix” on the streaming site TWITCH found Clix just outside the mall. Clix had been live streaming a shopping visit where he and a female companion are seen looking at shoes, clothes, and other items. Clix is being recorded by a younger teen as a group of kids runs out of the mall and surrounds Clix, wanting to chat with him. Clix obliges. One of the fans is apparently heard saying something about “SWATTING” the mall in an effort to keep Clix in the mall during a “lockdown.” The fans leave. Clix is seen and heard saying on camera that he thinks those fans are strange and that he can’t believe anyone would “SWAT” the mall. Within minutes, police are on the scene and the mall is locked down. SCROLL DOWN FOR THE VIDEO.

Clix is later seen being placed into a police car for questioning. Police said he was being “helpful.”

Incredibly, now three hours after the incident started, the City of Boca Raton Police Department has released no new information, and has not verified what we reported above. The following is the “tick tock,” or chronology of information, reported by BocaNewsNow.com.

UPDATE: 7:30 p.m. — The mall remains closed. Shoppers may retrieve their cars, according to police.

UPDATE: 7:20 p.m. — The City of Boca Raton Police Department just posted to X what we reported more than an hour ago: this appears to be a SWATTING call. Police are still not acknowledging the video of what appears to be the genesis of the call that BocaNewsNow.com posted, below.

UPDATE: 6:56 p.m. — We’ve heard nothing new from Boca PD, but we love that the Sun Sentinel finally JUST got around to covering this story. Way to go, Sun Sentinel! Readers absolutely should pay for your product.

UPDATE 6:16 p.m. — We now have the TWITCH video where it appears a kid acknowledges SWATTING the mall as part of something involving the gamer “Clix” who is discussing the SWATTING incident as it is starting. Watch the video:

UPDATE: 5:59 p.m. — Sources tell BocaNewsNow.com that someone watching “Clix” live stream Fortnite from the mall said something to the effect of “let’s SWAT the mall” during the live stream.

UPDATE: 5:46 p.m. — There seems to be massive miscommunication at the scene. While people are apparently being permitted to leave, Boca PD posted this to X moments ago: “Officers continue to investigate. A caller advised he had guns and bombs in a described vehicle on the north side of the mall. Officers quickly located the vehicle and created a perimeter. At this time, the Bomb Team is on scene and Boca Raton Police continues to investigate.”

UPDATE: 5:42 p.m. — Several people who were “held” in the mall as part of the lockdown now tell BocaNewsNow.com that they are being permitted to leave. There is still no official update from the Boca Raton Police Department.

UPDATE: 5:27 p.m. — The gamer identified as “Clix” is being helpful, according to police, and IS NOT in custody. It remains unclear how his streaming a game while in the mall led to a lockdown and SWAT response.

UPDATE 5:14 p.m. — A gamer identified by BocaNewsNow.com readers as “Clix” was allegedly in the mall and streaming “Fortnight.” Somehow this led to a threat or the belief that a threat was made at the mall. He, according to readers providing video and images to BocaNewsNow.com, is being questioned by Boca Raton Police who are still not providing details.

UPDATE AT 5:10 p.m. — Sources tell BocaNewsNow.com that this all started when a famous gamer — who we are not identifying at this time — was playing “Fortnight” and somehow or another called in a threat to the mall, or made a threat to the mall, while thousand of people were watching his stream. We are unclear why Boca PD has not shared this information at this point.

UPDATE at 5:04 p.m: The Boca Raton Police Department continues to say next to nothing about the incident ongoing at the Boca Raton Town Center Mall. A police spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for information, and instead waited several minutes to post a general statement to Facebook, then X. From sources at the scene: someone may have called in a threat to the mall or the police, claiming a shooter was at the mall or in the parking lot. That has led to an evacuation of the mall, although many people tell BocaNewsNow.com that they are being ‘held’ for safety in back rooms and other areas of stores in the mall. It is unclear why Boca PD is responding so slowly to information requests. If you are there and have details, text BocaNewsNow.com at 561-576-6397.

UPDATE: Boca Raton PD inexplicably decided to post information to Facebook but ignored media requests for details. Apparently someone called in a threat to the mall. “Boca Raton Police are investigating a threat made by a caller from the north parking lot of Town Center at Boca Raton. PLEASE LEAVE THE AREA through the south side of the property while the threat continues to be investigated.”

UPDATE: Boca Raton PD at 4:48 p.m. says it will release information shortly.

BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2024 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — We are aware of an incident at Boca Raton Town Center Mall as of 4:42 p.m. Saturday. Multiple readers on the scene say there is a lockdown in effect, possibly for a “shooter” in the parking lot. This is UNCONFIRMED but information being shared by BocaNewsNow.com readers on the scene.

The Boca Raton Police Department has NOT responded to requests for information. We will update you as soon as we know more. IF you are at the mall and information, please text 561-576-6397. That’s 561-576-NEWS.