After spate of ‘swatting’ calls, tougher penalties may be ahead

ATLANTA — A spate of false reports of shootings at the homes of public officials in recent days could be setting the stage for stricter penalties against so-called swatting in more states.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost have been among the victims.

Several Georgia lawmakers who were targeted say they want increased penalties for swatting, like laws enacted this year in Ohio and Virginia. Similar bills are pending in other states and Congress.

Swatting is the act of making a prank call to emergency services to prompt a response at a particular address. The goal is to get authorities, particularly a SWAT team, to show up.

Hundreds of cases of swatting occur annually, with some using caller ID spoofing to disguise their number. And those targeted extend far beyond public officials.

Such calls have proved dangerous and even outright deadly. In 2017, a police officer in Wichita, Kan., shot and killed a man while responding to a hoax emergency call. This year, the city agreed to pay $5 million to settle a related lawsuit, with the money to go to the two children of 28-year-old Andrew Finch.

In addition to putting innocent people at risk, police and officials say they worry about diverting resources from real emergencies.

Ohio this year made it a felony offense to report a false emergency that prompts response by law enforcement. And Virginia increased the penalties for swatting to up to 12 months in jail.

Georgia state Sen. Clint Dixon, who was swatted on Christmas evening, said in a statement that he planned to introduce a bill during the upcoming legislative session to strengthen penalties for false reporting and misuse of police forces.

“This issue goes beyond politics — it’s about public safety and preserving the integrity of our institutions,” he said.