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Sen. Tuberville introduces bill to fight โ€œswattingโ€

โ€œSwattingโ€ occurs when an individual makes a false report of an ongoing emergency or threat of violence in order to intimidate someone.

SWAT team in Carol Stream, Illinois, United States, on August 16, 2024. KYLE MAZZA/SHUTTERSTOCK
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U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville has joined Senate colleagues Rick Scott, R-FL, and Mike Rounds, R-SD, to introduce the Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act.

โ€œSwattingโ€ occurs when an individual makes a false report of an ongoing emergency or threat of violence in order to intimidate someone by sending a significant law enforcement presence to their address. Although swatters may consider swatting to be a harmless prank, there are multiple instances of individuals dying as a result of being swatted.

In 2017, 28-year-old Andrew Finch died when he was fatally shot by law enforcement who believed they were responding to active hostage situation in Wichita, Kansas. In reality, the police had been misled by a swatting hoax.

The Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act would โ€œimpose strict penalties for swatting, including up to 20 years in prison if someone is seriously hurt because of a swatting attack,โ€ according to an official press release from Tuberville.

โ€œSwatting is a serious problem that must be addressed,โ€ Tuberville said in an official statement. โ€œMy home was swatted twice around Christmas last year in a dangerous attempt to intimidate my family and me. Our brave men and women in blue shouldnโ€™t have to use valuable time and resources answering hoax calls when they could be protecting communities and getting criminals off the street. Iโ€™m proud to join Senator Scott in standing up to these criminal hoaxers, making our communities safer, and keeping our law enforcement officers out of harmful situations.โ€ 

Sen. Scott also spoke on the new legislation.

โ€œThe cowards behind โ€˜swattingโ€™ calls intentionally waste the time and resources of law enforcement and put people in danger in an attempt to inflict fear in communities and terrorize their targets,โ€ said Scott. โ€œItโ€™s absolutely despicable and those responsible must face real consequences for their actions.โ€

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โ€œSwatters have attempted attacks on my familyโ€™s home, the homes of public officials, Trump administration nominees, and so many others โ€“ it has to stop. Thatโ€™s why I introduced the Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act to crack down on these attempts. Iโ€™m proud to lead this important bill in the Senate again and look forward to its passage,โ€ Scott added.

In the House of Representatives, Rep. David Kustoff, R-TN, is sponsoring the legislation alongside a bipartisan coalition. The bill has also been endorsed by law enforcement groups like the National Association of Police Organizations, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the National Sheriffsโ€™ Association.

Alex Jobin is a freelance reporter. You can reach him at ajobin@alreporter.com.

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