WELLINGTON, Fla. — Deputies arrested a 15-year-old boy after popping sounds inside the Mall at Wellington Green sparked mass panic Saturday afternoon, leading to an evacuation as shoppers believed they heard gunshots.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera announced the arrest Sunday.
The boy was taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center after being interviewed by deputies.
Wellington
Fireworks cause scare at Mall at Wellington Green
On Saturday, the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office bomb squad was called to the Mall at Wellington Green at about 5 p.m. The agency received numerous 911 calls about the sounds of gunshots inside the mall.
The sounds caused mass panic, and several law enforcement officers responded, shutting down the mall for more than three hours.
Investigators determined the sounds heard were not gunshots but fireworks that had been ignited in the men's bathroom.
The 15-year-old boy faces a charge of felony criminal mischief.