Dec. 28 (UPI) — Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said Thursday his Naples home was “swatted” while he was having dinner with his wife Wednesday night.
Swatting is the term for false emergency calls that result in police SWAT team-like responses.
“Last night, while at dinner with my wife, cowards ‘swatted’ my home in Naples,” Scott wrote on his X account. “These criminals wasted the time & resources of our law enforcement in a sick attempt to terrorize my family.”
Naples Police said on their X account, “Recent Swatting Incidents in Naples-Collier County have resulted in immediate law enforcement response out of an abundance of caution to ensure the safety of the public. We ask the public to appreciate the circumstances and to be patient with law enforcement as we respond.”
Police said Scott’s home was targeted Wednesday night, but after about 15 minutes on scene they determined it was a hoax.
Naples Police spokesman Lt. Bryan McGinn said, “People are utilizing spoofing techniques and things like that to change their phone numbers. Apps and programs are more available, readily to digitize voices so people can hide and shield their voice from law enforcement when they’re communicating with dispatchers and things of that nature.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene said her home in Rome, Georgia was hit by a “swatting” on Christmas Day with a caller falsely reporting a shooting and potential suicide.
She said it was “like the 8th time.”
Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y., also reported a “swatting” on Monday.
According to Boston Police, Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu also suffered a “swatting” incident Monday.
In July Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that a newly created FBI database was opened to all federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to help combat what he called “these dangerous hoax calls.”