A safety employee at Lollapalooza in Chicago wished to go away work early, so she made a faux put up threatening a mass taking pictures, in accordance with court docket paperwork.
The worker, 18-year-old Janya Williams, labored for Andy Frain Providers, a safety firm offering safety for the four-day Lollapalooza music competition in Chicago’s Grant Park.
Williams has been charged with making a false terrorism menace, a felony, in accordance with court docket filings.
At 2:48 p.m. on July 29, Williams used the texting app TextNow to ship her supervisor a textual content.
“Mass taking pictures at 4pm location Lollapalooza,” one textual content learn, claiming the shooters had 150 targets.
Williams’ supervisor instantly instructed different firm supervisors, who instructed the Chicago Police Division Command Publish. Each Chicago police and the FBI Joint Counterterrorism Process Power had been instructed in regards to the menace, one doc says.
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Later, Williams mentioned her sister noticed a mass taking pictures menace on Fb.
In keeping with one of many court docket paperwork, Williams’ supervisor instructed her to ship a screenshot of the Fb menace. Williams then made a Fb web page beneath the title “Ben Scott” and wrote out a Fb put up that learn “Large taking pictures at Lollapalooza Grant Park 6:00p.m.”
Williams did not put up the menace on Fb, however took a screenshot of the draft and despatched it to her supervisor from her personal cellphone.
In keeping with court docket paperwork, an FBI activity pressure accomplished an Emergency Disclosure Request for the TextNow telephone quantity Williams used to ship the menace. From that request, they had been in a position to join an Apple iCloud account and an IP handle to Williams.
She finally admitted to sending the textual content and making the faux put up as a result of she “wished to go away work early,” one doc says.
She had a bail listening to on July 31 with bond set at $50,000 and digital monitoring.
Her subsequent court docket date is Monday, mentioned the Cook dinner County State’s Lawyer’s Workplace.
Media representatives from Lollapalooza didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW workforce. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757 – and loves all issues horror, witches, Christmas, and meals. Comply with her on Twitter at @Saleen_Martin or e mail her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.