Charges after FBI 'active shooter calls' probe

Three men have been charged with making bogus "active shooter" calls to prompt emergency service responses in the United States and Canada.

Dylan Ash, 18, of Warrington, and Keiron Ellison, 18, of St Helens, have both been charged with three counts of conspiring to commit acts that could pervert the course of justice.

Liam White, 22, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, will appear alongside them at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Thursday. He has been charged with two counts of the same offence.

Merseyside Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) worked together on the investigation.

The charges relate to so-called "swatting" incidents, which take their name from SWAT ( Special Weapons And Tactics) teams, the US police units that respond to dangerous situations.

Det Sgt Steve Frame, of Merseyside Police, said: "The charges are the culmination of an extensive investigation by Merseyside Police working with US law enforcement, including the FBI."

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