Politics
NEW: Police Swarm George Soros’ New York Mansion
A critic of liberal mega-donor George Soros had it out for him over the holiday break, calling a SWAT team to his house with an untraceable call alleging an active shooter crisis.
The Western Journal reports the “swatting” incident at Soros’s New York mansion was just one in a series of police responses that took place between Christmas and New Year’s Day, with other false alarms triggered at the homes of GOP lawmakers who have staked out anti-Hamas positions in Congress. In the case of Soros, police reported receiving a 911 call on Saturday around 9:00 p.m. where the caller claimed to have shot his wife and was about to turn the firearm on himself.
Southampton Police Detective Herman Lamison told the New York Post that police rushed to the residency before concluding the crisis was manufactured.
“Spoke to security, searched the premises. It was [a] negative problem,” the Post said a recording of police radio traffic showed one officer as saying.
It was not reported whether Soros or any family members were home at the time of the incident.
George Soros’ Southampton estate ‘swatted’ in latest fake 911 call https://t.co/pFkYfjjdKn pic.twitter.com/wLMWpOGc6V
— New York Post (@nypost) January 1, 2024
The rise of swatting prank phone calls has coincided with mounting political tensions over Israel’s war against Hamas, causing left-wing agitators to harass GOP lawmakers at their homes or while out dining. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) posted on X that police responded to her home on Christmas day for another false alarm.
I was just swatted. This is like the 8th time. On Christmas with my family here,” Rep. Greene wrote. “My local police are the GREATEST and shouldn’t have to deal with this. I appreciate them so much and my family and I are in joyous spirits celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!”
I was just swatted.
This is like the 8th time.
On Christmas with my family here.
My local police are the GREATEST and shouldn’t have to deal with this.
I appreciate them so much and my family and I are in joyous spirits celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 25, 2023
Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY) also reported a swatting on Christmas Day.
“I organized my family in the kitchen and told them to hang out and keep their hands visible,” he told CBS News, adding that he sent the first responders home with bags of holiday cookies to defuse the situation.
Our home was swatted this afternoon. Thanks to the Deputies and Troopers who contacted me before arriving.
They left with homemade cookies and spiced nuts! Merry Christmas everyone! pic.twitter.com/uQ2xkzLVJ6
— Rep. Brandon Williams (@RepWilliams) December 25, 2023
U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) also suffered a holiday swatting, writing on X, “Last night, while at dinner with my wife, cowards ‘swatted’ my home in Naples. These criminals wasted the time & resources of our law enforcement in a sick attempt to terrorize my family.”
A Naples law enforcement spokesperson told CBS News that a deceptive phone call appearing to be from Naples claimed a man had “shot his wife with an AR-15 three times while she was sleeping.”
“Within 15 minutes, we were able to confirm that the events did not occur and the incident was a swatting event. This is very much an active and ongoing investigation,” said the spokesperson.
No arrests have been made, another indication of how difficult it can be to trace the origins of swatting calls disguised through various call masking technologies that hide the location of callers. The FBI has urged Americans to remain vigilant to the rising threat and comply with officers should they ever fall victim to the dangerous prank.
“The FBI takes all threats very seriously and will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share, and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention. We urge the public to remain vigilant, and report any and all suspicious activity and/or individuals to law enforcement immediately,” the Bureau told CBS.