Police probe Christmas Day swatting call at Rep. Greene’s home
By Sarah Dewberry | CNN
Authorities are investigating a Christmas Day swatting call at Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s residence in Rome, Georgia.
Greene took to social media Monday morning, posting on X, “I was just swatted. This is like the 8th time. On Christmas with my family here.”
On Monday, 911 dispatch informed officers that a call came through the suicide prevention hotline from a man possibly calling from Rome, New York, claiming he’d shot his girlfriend at Greene’s Georgia address, Rome, Georgia, police information specialist Kelly Madden told CNN on the phone. The caller also had threatened to kill himself.
Rome Police informed Greene’s security team of the phone call while officers were en route to the home, according to Madden, and were told nothing was amiss at the home. Madden said officers were turned around before arriving at the house.
“My local police are the GREATEST and shouldn’t have to deal with this,” Greene added in her post. “I appreciate them so much and my family and I are in joyous spirits celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!”
Swatting is a prank call made to authorities with the express purpose of luring them to a location – usually a home – where they are led to believe a horrific crime has been committed or is in progress. This results in a forceful response from local police or SWAT teams, who have no way of knowing the call is a hoax.
Republican Rep. Brandon Williams of New York said in a post on X he was also swatted on Christmas Day.
“Our home was swatted this afternoon,” the congressman said. “Thanks to the Deputies and Troopers who contacted me before arriving. They left with homemade cookies and spiced nuts! Merry Christmas everyone!”
Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck confirmed law enforcement responded to a swatting incident at the congressman’s house Monday. He added that just after 2 p.m., authorities from the sheriff’s office and the New York State Police responded “to a report of a reported confessed shooting incident” at Williams’ home.
“This report was quickly confirmed to be false,” Schenk said, adding that his office is investigating.
In a statement to CNN on Tuesday, United States Capitol Police said it assists local and federal law enforcement agencies in responding to “swatting” incidents against members of Congress but would not provide additional details about the recent events, citing the ongoing investigations and the desire to “minimize the risk of copy-cats.”
In August 2022, CNN reported that police had responded to repeated swatting incidents at Greene’s home. And last month, a Georgia man was charged with threatening to kill Greene, her family and her staff.
“This isn’t the first time that we have received a call of this nature,” Madden said Monday. “We do have a good relationship with her security detail, and it was determined that there was, in fact, no emergency.”
Greene is the US representative for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District which includes Rome. The conservative firebrand has at times come under criticism from the left for her controversial and divisive comments. She has also faced backlash from those on her party’s right flank, when she was removed from the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus earlier this year for criticizing her fellow caucus members and remaining loyal to Republican leadership.