Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley Target of Swatting Attack

• Nikki Haley swatted at SC home on Dec 30.
• Hoax call reported violence; FBI and state police involved.
• GOP lawmakers introduce penalties amid rising swatting trend.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley became the latest target of a swatting attack, as reported by Reuters. The former United Nations ambassador was not at her home in Kiawah Island when an unknown individual placed a hoax emergency call to the police, falsely claiming to have shot his girlfriend at Haley’s residence and threatening self-harm.

Fortunately, Haley’s son was not in the vicinity during the incident, and her husband, Michael, is currently deployed on a year-long mission in Africa with the South Carolina Army National Guard. The nature of swatting involves making false emergency calls with the intention of triggering a significant response from law enforcement, putting both the targeted individual and responders at risk.

Haley, actively engaged in her presidential campaign against former President Donald Trump, was quick to involve law enforcement agencies in response to the incident. She communicated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), her team’s head of security, and South Carolina’s state police. The FBI assured local authorities that they were actively investigating the hoax call and planned to conduct a “threat assessment” related to the incident.

This alarming incident is part of a concerning trend, as swatting attacks have been on the rise, targeting not only public figures but also institutions. Just two weeks prior, emergency responders were dispatched to the White House following a false 911 call claiming a fire. Additionally, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene fell victim to a swatting incident on Christmas day, marking the eighth occurrence of such attacks against political figures.

In response to the growing threat of swatting, GOP lawmakers, Senator Tommy Tuberville and Senator Rick Scott, have introduced legislation aimed at amending federal criminal hoax statutes. The proposed legislation seeks to impose harsher penalties for swatting, recognizing the potential danger and disruption caused by these deceptive emergency calls. As authorities work to address and prevent such incidents, the swatting trend remains a concerning challenge for public figures and law enforcement alike.

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