CRIME
What is swatting? Why are US politicians and journalists being targeted?
The ‘pranks’ are extremely dangerous and have resulted in the deaths at the hands of police in the past.
Since the beginning of 2024, at least three members of Congress have been ‘swatted,’ a prank-call which leads to heavily armed police officers attacking the target’s home.
New York Republican Brandon Williams, Florida Republican senator Rick Scott, and Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene have all said they have been targets.
“There are so many things going on in our society that are disrupting our systems,” Rep. Williams told CBS News. “Swatters are disrupting police, getting them out on these fake calls. This could be targeted at judges, state officials and law enforcement too.”
Due to the serious nature of swatting it is considered a criminal offense in the US under various federal statutes, though is not a crime in-and-of itself. The reasoning behind the ‘pranks’ would likely be to seriously distress the politicians in question.
What is swatting?
Swatting is a dangerous prank where someone makes a false report to emergency services, typically claiming that a serious incident, such as a hostage situation, bomb threat, or violent crime, is taking place. The police, involving Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) from which the name is derived, then engage with the false report.
This is a life-threatening situation for the targeted person. In 2017, police killed 28-year-old Andrew Finch after he was swatted. The man who made the call, Tyler Raj Barriss, was sented to 20 years of prison.