Republican Rep. Tom Emmer said he was the latest victim in a long line of political figures to be crushed.
A swatting is the act of calling a false police report, usually for a violent crime, to a person's home or workplace – resulting in a severe police response.
Nearly 30 politicians, journalists and other political figures have been beaten in America since November.
“Tonight, my family and I were the targets of a ‘swatting’ incident involving a 911 prank call that wrongly diverted a police presence to my home,” Rep. Emmer said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Unfortunately, this illegal and dangerous scheme is being used nationwide to target elected officials.”
Fortunately, no one was home or injured. I condemn this illegal exploitation of police resources.
I want to thank the Wright County Sheriff's Office for their professionalism and support.
I will have no further comment on this matter.
– Tom Emmer (@GOPMajorityWhip) January 28, 2024
The Minnesota politician continued: “Fortunately, no one was home or injured.” I condemn this illegal exploitation of police resources. I want to thank the Wright County Sheriff's Office for their professionalism and support. I will have no further comment on this matter.”
Dozens of beating incidents have occurred in recent months, one of which was even summoned to the White House.
On Saturday, it was reported that neoconservative presidential candidate Nikki Haley was the victim of a December 30 beating.
The caller claimed he had shot his girlfriend and was preparing to shoot himself at Healey's $2.4 million waterfront estate on Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Left-wing billionaire George Soros was beaten earlier this month. The Virginia home of Jonathan Turley, a legal scholar at George Washington University, was destroyed days earlier.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican Sens. Jon Albers, Kay Kirkpatrick and Clint Dixon, Democrat Kim Jackson, and New York Republican Rep. Brandon Williams were reportedly beaten on Christmas.
Georgia Governor Bert Jones, Representative Rick Scott, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and Representative Kevin Miller were among the other victims.
Maine Secretary of State Sheena Bellows was defeated after she removed former President Donald Trump from the state's primary ballot.
No suspects have been named in any of these incidents. It is still unclear whether this is being done by one person or several people.
In 2017, a fake police report was called into the home of a man named Andrew Finch in Wichita, Kansas. Al-Mensha claimed that he had shot his father to death and was holding the rest of his family hostage.
Finch was unarmed and on his porch when a police officer shot him, thinking he was reaching for a gun.
The false report was called out by serial batterer Tyler Parris, who pleaded guilty to 51 counts of battery in 2019 — including a charge of filing a false report resulting in death.
Paris was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2019 under a plea agreement.
The Hill reports, “Sense. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) unveiled a bill earlier this month aimed at increasing penalties for swatting incidents. Scott himself was the victim of a beating last month.
“Scott said the bill would ensure that the “cowards” behind these overwhelming calls “face severe consequences.”
