(NewsNation) — An Ohio lawmaker is the latest victim of a swatting attempt, one of several swatting attempts made on elected officials.
Capitol Police told NewsNation they are working with local officials to investigate a growing string of swatting incidents targeting members of Congress.
State and local officials of both parties have also been victims.
Swatting involves placing a false call to police in hopes of provoking an emergency response to someone’s home or business. Originating in the gaming community, the practice has spread and has led to injury or death in some cases.
Since Christmas Day, fake emergency calls that prompted real emergency responses have been reported at the homes of Ohio Republican state Rep. Kevin Miller and Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Brandon Williams, R-N.Y. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, another Republican, was also targeted, his office confirmed to NewsNation.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat, is also among the swatting victims.
According to a police report obtained by NewsNation, on Christmas Day a 911 call came in reporting a shooting at Wu’s Boston home.
The caller reported a man shot his wife at the address, but when police got there, they interviewed people at the home and determined no crime had been committed.
Williams even posted pictures of the deputies who responded to the fake call at his home on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Miller also posted on social media about the incident, saying deputies responded to a false report of a shooting and that it “put several lives at risk and was a huge waste of resources.”
The FBI has also been investigating a series of swatting incidents at synagogues across the country. They believe those originated from a foreign group.
NewsNation reached out to the FBI to ask if they are looking into the cases of politicians who have been victims and has not yet received a response.