Several Democratic lawmakers from Connecticut reported bomb threats Thursday, a day after key senior staffers for President-elect Donald Trump reported they were targeted by threats and “swatting.”
Sen chris murphyReps. Jahana Hayes, John Larson and Reps. jim himes — all Democrats — issued statements Thursday saying bomb threats had been made to their homes. Murphy's office said the threats “appear to be part of a coordinated effort involving multiple members of Congress and public figures.”
The Associated Press reported that a bomb threat was made to the Norwich home of another Democrat, Rep. Joe Courtney, while his wife and children were at home.
Trump transition spokeswoman Carolyn Levitt said in a statement Wednesday that several of Trump's planned nominees was targeted With threats of beatings or bombs.
Representative. Elise Stefanik And lee zeldinClaiming to be the UN ambassador and an EPA administrator, respectively, both said they were targeted, and the NYPD responded to the threat at their home Howard LutnickClaimed to become Commerce Secretary. Susie WillsTrump's incoming chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, The former attorney general of Florida, whom Trump has chosen as the next US attorney general, was targeted in this wave of attacks, according to a senior law enforcement official.
Former representative. matt getzWho is Trump's original choice to become Attorney General later withdrew his name Considerably, there are also reports of being targeted.
,swatting“is the action of falsely calling emergency services in an attempt to dispatch armed police officers to a specific address or target in a threatening manner. Bomb threats may represent a form of swatting – convincing officers that Misleading that there is a serious threat or crime in progress can lead to immediate police response and, in rare cases, have resulted in fatalities.
The Department of Homeland Security has warned that criminal behavior — a “daily occurrence” that often occurs in groups — wastes police and first responder resources, as well as can lead to dangerous altercations between law enforcement officers. Mark Herring of Tennessee Fatal heart attack occurred in 2021 After he was targeted while a Kansas man shot by police Who responded at his home in 2017.
Although swatting can lead to serious charges and a prison sentence of up to several years, it is often difficult to track down suspects. Criminals routinely employ caller ID spoofing, social engineering tactics, voice masking techniques, and even teletypewriter (TTY) technology (designed for people with hearing or speech impairments) to conceal their identity or pose as a victim. Gaya uses a phone system).