GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County police charged a teen for a false social media post that claimed a protest was being planned at the Mall of Georgia this weekend.
The teen who tried to organize it doesn’t even live in the county.
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The post targeted the Mall of Georgia and the times that teens area allowed to be there without an adult.
Detectives later determined the claims were a hoax and that the teen responsible had no intention of being in the state for the event.
Police said the teen told investigators that creating the post and potentially causing chaos would be funny.
Following the original message, a second social media post was circulated stating that the protest had been canceled.
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Simon Property Group, Inc., the management company for the shopping center, denied making any changes to its hours of operation. The company also stated that it had not authorized any protests to take place at the facility.
Police encouraged parents to speak with their children about the consequences of posting false information online.
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