(USNewsMag.com) – Missouri’s Secretary of State is the latest victim in a wave of swatting attempts against politicians from both sides of the aisle after law enforcement received a call alleging a shooting at his family residence that turned out to be a false alarm.
Republican lawmaker Jay Ashcroft, the Secretary of State for Missouri, was targeted on Sunday, Jan. 7, in an attempted swatting. “Swatting” is the practice of contacting law enforcement to file a false claim, typically of a violent crime, in order to trick them into raiding the target’s home and possibly killing them by mistake in the altercation. Swatting has already resulted in multiple deaths and is a federal offense.
In response to some states disqualifying former President Donald Trump from their GOP primary election ballots, Ashcroft threatened to give President Joe Biden the same treatment and remove him from Missouri’s primary ballot.
In a press release about the incident, Ashcroft said he was with his wife and his children when the Jefferson Police Department called his residence for a wellness check after they had just received a report of a shooting. Ashcroft claims he stepped out of his home with his hands raised to greet multiple officers waiting outside the home. No one was injured during the incident.
Ashcroft also posted about the incident on Twitter immediately after, at 10:59 PM, announcing that his home “was just swatted” and that he and his family were safe. He also thanked the police department for their “professionalism” in handling the situation. In a separate post, Ashcroft said he hopes those responsible for the swatting, which he described as “childish, cowardice acts,” will be apprehended and face justice.
Several officials have been the target of swatting over the last few weeks, including Special Counsel Jack Smith on Christmas Day and GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene of Georgia. Tanya Chutkan, the judge overseeing the federal election interference case against Trump, was also a recent victim of swatting.
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