FBI director Kash Patel Friday said he had noticed the alarming rise in ‘swatting’ incidents targeting media figures which is becoming a dangerous trend. The agency, he vowed, would take action and hold those responsible accountable.
Without mentioning that this is happening with MAGA influencers, Patel said this is not 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. We are fully committed to working with local law enforcement to crack down on these crimes,” Kash Patel wrote.
Social media influencer Gunther Eagleman, radio show host Joe Pagliarulo, and Infowars’ Chase Geiser are among those who have said they were targeted in recent days in swat calls where someone called police and reported a hoax emergency at the house of the target sending police and sometimes armes response units to their address — for some fake complaint.
Texas-based talk show host Pagliarulo said he was a victim of swatting in the early hours of March 12. Pagliarulo said he was unaware that the man was from law enforcement and considered confronting him with his own guns, mistaking him as an attacker.
Pagliarulo said he called 911, and an operator informed him they had received a report of a disturbance at his address, which he said was false.
Catturd, a popular pro-Trump social media account with more than 3.4 million X followers, wrote Friday morning that he was “swatted again for the fourth time” at his home.
“I was just swatted again for the 4th time. 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. Really nice guy. I have the number they called from and will turn all the info over to the FBI today. My last two swatters are sitting in prison right now, this new one will be joining them soon,” Catturd wrote.
Right-wing journalist Nick Sortor said his father and sister were swatted after authorities received a call falsely claiming his father was planning to kill his entire family.
