02/01/2024

"Swatting" Threats are on the Rise

They have targeted the White House, lawmakers and Trump trial judges

Several U.S. politicians and officials, and even the White House itself, have been targeted by a flurry of "swatting" incidents in recent weeks.

Why it matters: The dangerous hoax calls — targeting judges, lawmakers and election officials — are among a rising tide of political threats in the U.S., where roughly a quarter of Americans say they are open to resorting to violence to "save our country."

• The incidents prompted a rare letter this week from the House's top security official to lawmakers' families and offices, which offered guidance on how to prepare for swatting incidents, Axios' Andrew Solender reports.

How it works: Swatting involves faking an emergency to elicit the dispatch of armed police officers, or SWAT teams, to a particular address.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Axios.