A fake emergency call prompted authorities to rush to the South Carolina home of Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley last month, town records accessed by Reuters reveal.
Emergency Call at Haley’s: What Happened?
According to town records obtained by Reuters, the call falsely claimed a woman had been shot and the caller was threatening self-harm at Haley’s home.
An Alarming Trend
This unreported “swatting” incident is part of a disturbing trend of violent threats, bomb scares, and intimidation tactics against government officials, judiciary members, and election administrators since 2020.
Bipartisan Target
The hoax targeting Nikki Haley, a Republican presidential candidate challenging Donald Trump, took place on December 30 in Kiawah Island, a wealthy, gated community. Haley and her husband purchased the $2.4 million residence on Kiawah Island in October 2019, as per local property records.
Haley’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
911 Hoax at Haley’s Home:
A 911 call was made by an anonymous person claiming to have shot his girlfriend and threatened self-harm at Haley’s home, as reported by Craig Harris, the Director of Public Safety for Kiawah Island, in an email acquired by Reuters.
The claim was later found to be a hoax, with Haley not present on the island and her son with her.
A New Form of Political Harassment
Swatting, the act of making false police reports to trigger a potentially dangerous law enforcement response, is seen by experts as a growing form of intimidation or harassment, particularly against public figures and officials involved in civil and criminal cases against Trump.
Authorities Combine Forces
In his email, Craig Harris stated that he was coordinating with South Carolina’s state police, the FBI, and the head of Nikki Haley’s security regarding the hoax at her residence.
Joint Investigation
Harris confirmed that the incident was under investigation by all parties involved, though no suspect or motive was mentioned in the email. Another email obtained by Reuters from an FBI official in South Carolina informed Harris and other law enforcement about the FBI tracking the hoax call and planning to initiate a “threat assessment.”
No Suspects Yet
Both Harris and the state police did not immediately comment on the incident, and the FBI refrained from commenting on Haley’s specific case, but noted the risks and resource wastage caused by such hoax threats.
To date, no suspects have been publicly identified in the Haley case or other similar high-profile swatting incidents.
The Swatting Phenomenon
Swatting is a dangerous prank where a false report, often of a serious crime, is made to police, prompting a SWAT team response. The caller typically claims a violent situation, like a hostage scenario, at someone’s address, aiming to draw a large police presence to that location.
Rising Swatting Incidents
As the U.S. presidential race heats up, swatting cases have seen a notable increase, affecting both allies and adversaries of former President Donald Trump, who is campaigning for a White House comeback.
No One Safe
Targets include opponents like Democrat Shenna Bellows, Maine’s Secretary of State, who excluded Trump from her state’s primary ballot, as well as judges and prosecutors handling Trump-related cases.
Even Trump supporters, such as U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, have not been spared from these swatting incidents.
Age and Unhinged Accusations
Donald Trump has shown notable criticism towards Nikki Haley, who continues her presidential campaign despite early losses. On the other hand, Haley has suggested that Trump is too old to be the president of the United States and called him “totally unhinged.”
Swatting Spree
Reuters reports over 27 swatting incidents targeting political figures since November 2023, including hoaxes against Joe Biden’s White House residence.
Notably, a caller named “Jamal” claimed responsibility for several of these hoaxes, including incidents at the homes of Republican Senator Rick Scott and Georgia State Senator John Albers, with the police determining these calls to be hoaxes.
Swatting Hits Political Figures
A Jan. 7 swatting call targeted Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a Trump supporter, falsely reporting a shooting at his home. Gabriel Sterling, a Georgia state official, experienced a similar hoax on Jan. 11, with multiple emergency vehicles responding.
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