Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) joined the ranks of elected officials who have been swatted over the Christmas-New Yr’s vacation together with his Naples, Florida house being swatted Wednesday night time. Most of these swatted over the previous week have been Republican officers or conservative activists.

File display picture.

Scott posted an announcement on Thursday concerning the incident:

“Last night, while at dinner with my wife, cowards “swatted” my house in Naples. These criminals wasted the time & assets of our regulation enforcement in a sick try and terrorize my household. Ann & I wish to thank @NaplesPolice & @CollierSheriff for all they do to maintain us secure.”

Final night time, whereas at dinner with my spouse, cowards “swatted” my house in Naples. These criminals wasted the time & assets of our regulation enforcement in a sick try and terrorize my household.

Ann & I wish to thank @NaplesPolice & @CollierSheriff for all they do to maintain us secure.

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) December 28, 2023

WINK-TV posted details concerning the swatting name (excerpt):

In accordance with the Naples Police Division, simply after 9 p.m., authorities had been headed to the scene after a name got here in saying a person shot his spouse whereas sleeping thrice with an AR-15.

…In accordance with data of the 911 name, simply earlier than 9 p.m., a caller figuring out himself as “Jamal” stated he shot his spouse with an AR-15.

Jamal claimed he shot his spouse as a result of she was sleeping with one other man. Jamal then instructed authorities he was holding Michael, his spouse’s boyfriend, hostage and demanding $10,000.

Jamal then instructed authorities he had a pipe bomb. If he was not given the $10,000 he was demanding, Jamal was going to explode the home.

The individual recognized as Jamal didn’t present any particulars about his spouse or Michael.

Authorities are actually saying Jamal’s voice sounded prefer it was computer-generated and synthetic.

Naples police posted a statement Thursday to social media:

On December 27, 2023, at roughly 9:02pm, Naples Police dispatchers acquired a name on our non-emergency line from a person stating {that a} capturing occurred within the 3100 block of Gordon Drive. Inside quarter-hour, we had been in a position to affirm that the occasions didn’t happen, and the incident was a swatting occasion. That is very a lot an energetic and ongoing investigation.

What’s Swatting?

Swatting is outlined as a false report of an ongoing emergency or energetic risk of violence supposed to immediate a direct tactical regulation enforcement response. The response typically prompts confusion on the a part of the owners and pulls restricted assets away from different attainable legitimate emergencies.

Swatting isn’t a brand new risk. It has advanced and features a vary of techniques and strategies used with the intent to trigger false public alarm and divert regulation enforcement assets to a hoax risk. Offenders typically use spoofing expertise to anonymize their very own telephone numbers and or apps/applications to digitize their voices when speaking with dispatchers.

Swatting situations embody bomb threats, energetic shooter situations, threats of an imminent capturing rampage, hostage situations, and threats involving chemical, organic, radiological, nuclear, or explosives brokers.

The motivations for swatting differ and embody the eye gained from nationwide media protection, used as a type of harassment or prank, revenge, and/or monetary acquire.

Current Swatting Incidents in Naples-Collier County have resulted in fast regulation enforcement response out of an abundance of warning to make sure the security of the general public. We ask the general public to understand the circumstances and to be affected person with regulation enforcement as we reply to those incidents to make sure the security of all.

As at all times, we’re in partnership with the general public to maintain Naples secure. If one thing “Doesn’t Look Right“ and/or “If You See Something suspicious, Say Something” name us and let the police guarantee all is secure.