SG Senate has used Zoom to meet during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has not met over the platform since it was "Zoom bombed" on March 31.
Weeks after hackers took over a Student Government Senate meeting over Zoom, displaying penises and writing racist language, UF’s Police Department announced that no charges will be filed.
Multiple people entered the second virtual Senate meeting on March 31 and “Zoom bombed” the meeting. They wrote sexual slurs, drew swastikas, showed pornographic images and even sent death threats to Senate President, Kyle Garner.
One of the “Zoom bombers” was later identified to be a 13-year-old girl in Tennessee. There were no charges filed against her, said Lt. Matt Davis of University of Florida Police Department.
No other individuals involved with the incident were located, Davis said. No hate crime charges were filed. The investigation was officially closed April 24, Davis said.
UPD decided to close the investigation because they could not locate any other people involved with the hacking, Davis said.
Local jurisdiction in Tennessee decided that the incident would best be handled “within the family unit” due to the suspect’s age and location, which is too far away from Florida to commit any crimes, Davis said.
“They [local officials in Tennessee] dealt with her personally,” Davis said. “They felt like meeting with the parents and stuff like that was the best route out there for them in terms of pursuing anything.”
The girl was involved with the “Zoom bombing” because she met the other individuals involved with the incident online, and they talked her into going onto the Zoom meeting, Davis said.
When asked what role specifically the girl had in the “Zoom bombing,” Davis said that she was a “participant” in the incident. He did not say when she met the other individuals involved.
When asked if the death threats against Garner were being investigated or if he was believed to be in any danger, Davis said he did not have any information on the matter.
Contact Meghan at mmcglone@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @meggmcglone.
Meghan McGlone is a UF junior majoring in journalism and English, and this year she’s the City and County Commission reporter. In past years, she’s served as the University Editor, the Student Government reporter, and other positions. Her favorite past time is eating gummy worms and reading a good book.
