Police: Boca Town Center Mall ‘Swatted’ by Viewer of Game Streamer’s Channel

The main entrance to the Boca Town Center mall. (Photo: Boca Daily News)

Boca Raton police said they received a call Saturday afternoon from a man saying he had bombs and weapons and had a “desire to kill” patrons of the Boca Town Center mall – a call that was ultimately unfounded and linked to an online prank against a video game streamer.

Just after 4 p.m. Saturday, according to Officer Jessica Desir, police received a call from a person who stated he was parked on the north side of the property at 6000 W Glades Road with guns and bombs, and the desire to kill. Officers quickly located the rental vehicle and established a perimeter, Desir said, and the bomb squad was called to the scene.

Information received from the rental car company connected the vehicle to Cody Conrod, a Twitch streamer with a large following. Known by his nickname “Clix,” Conrod, 19, streams his games of Fortnight on the platform, earning tens of millions of dollars in the process thanks to revenue sharing, advertising and brand partnerships, as well as his participation in the Fortnite World Cup.

Officers located Conrod inside the mall and he was detained for questioning. During this time, the mall was evacuated as a precaution.

Conrod, police said, was cooperative and advised officers he believed the threat may have been called in by an unknown viewer as a hoax, because he was live streaming inside the mall. Members of the bomb squad cleared the rental vehicle and, as a result of the investigation, nothing suspicious was located.

The investigation remains ongoing, Desir said.