FBI Director Kash Patel and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem indicated amid a rise in swatting attacks on conservatives that the perpetrators will be hunted down and brought to justice.

Parallel to this effort to smoke out those behind the attacks, Republicans are championing legislation that would increase penalties for these attacks that some, including Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, have suggested should be prosecuted as attempted murder and domestic terrorism.

Background

Swatting is the practice of calling in false reports to law enforcement — often alleging that self-harm, domestic abuse, or some form of other violent criminality is taking place or is imminent — with the goal of having an armed emergency response team dispatched to a victim’s location. Since the victims of these attacks are rarely if ever expecting a sudden incursion of well-intentioned law enforcement agents into their homes, and are in some in cases law-abiding gun owners, there is a good chance of things going sideways.

In 2017, 28-year-old Andrew Finch of Wichita, Kansas, was killed in a swatting incident. Law enforcement, responding to a fake hostage threat, killed Finch when he answered the door. The agitator responsible for getting Finch killed, Tyler Rai Barriss, was also held responsible for several other swattings.

Mark Herring, a man harassed because he would not sell his Twitter handle, was another such swatting victim. When Tennessee police were dispatched to his house in April 20, Herring suffered a fatal heart attack.

Conservatives and other critics of the liberal establishment have long been strategically targeted with swatting calls.

‘That’s the tactic of those who don’t like my politics?’

For instance, the number of times that Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been targeted is apparently now well into the double digits, including the December attack that proved fatal for a woman who crashed into a bomb squad member responding to the call.

‘Attempted murder’ campaign

In recent days and weeks, numerous conservative media figures and social media influencers have been swatted.

Shawn Farash, a comedian who specializes in impressions of President Donald Trump, indicated that he and his wife were swatted in Tennessee on March 13. Police apparently received a report that “somebody murdered somebody in the house and was planning a suicide by cop.”

Right-wing influencer Phillip Buchanan, who goes by “Catturd” online, revealed that he was swatted on March 14.

“I was just swatted again for the 4th time,” tweeted Buchanan. “As I tweeted earlier, I live in the middle of nowhere and know all the cops here. (because of the past swattings) they knew what it was immediately and just called me and sent one officer who I just had a great conversation with.”

Talk radio host Joe Pagliarulo indicated that he too was swatted earlier this month, noting on his show that he momentarily suppressed the desire to grab one of his many firearms upon seeing an individual with a rifle lurking outside his home and called 911. After the dispatcher confirmed that law enforcement was on the premises, the talk radio host informed police over the phone that he suspected a swatting attack might be under way and was able to arrange a peaceful resolution.

“If I would have grabbed my AR-15 and walked out the front door, or my pistol and walked out the front door, I would have been dead in my doorway,” said Pagliarulo. “Dead. I mean, think about that. That’s a tactic of the left? That’s the tactic of those who don’t like my politics?”

Infowars host Chase Geiser shared a video of his latest swatting ordeal on March 12, noting, “Swatted for a second time in 12 hours.”

The video shows police ordering his surrender over a megaphone and Geiser complying, exiting his residence with his hands over his head. Geiser’s coworker Owen Shroyer indicated that he was swatted on Wednesday.

Possible reckoning

Last week, FBI Director Patel stated that the bureau “is aware of this dangerous trend, and my team and I are already taking action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.”

“This isn’t about politics — weaponizing law enforcement against ANY American is not only morally reprehensible but also endangers lives, including those of our officers. That will not be tolerated,” continued Patel. “We are fully committed to working with local law enforcement to crack down on these crimes.”

Newly minted FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino provided a brief update Wednesday, noting, “Our teams are actively working on the Tesla incidents and the swatting incidents.”

Noem indicated that the DHS is also now taking the swatting attacks seriously.

”People need to be in prison for this.’

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we will not sit idly by as conservative new media and their families are being targeted by false swatting,” Noem wrote on X. “@DHSgov has the ability to trace phone numbers and track location information. We will use it to hunt these cowards down.”

“This is an attack on our law enforcement and innocent families, and we will prosecute it as such,” added Noem.

Lawmakers appear to be taking the matter seriously as well.

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement, announced an investigation into the recent increase of swatting incidents and requested a staff-level briefing from the Department of Justice and FBI by April 9 to better understand the phenomenon and what is being done about it.

There is now renewed interest in advancing Tennessee Republican Rep. David Kustoff’s Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act. The proposed law, endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations and the National Sheriffs’ Association, would impose strict penalties for swatting, including 20 years in prison if someone is seriously hurt as a result of an attack.

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), a co-sponsor of the bill, called swatting “an extremely dangerous form of political terrorism,” stressing, “People need to be in prison for this.”

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