White House 'swatting' incident triggers emergency response following fake 911 call
WASHINGTON DC: In one of the recent notable "swatting" incidents, a false 911 call on Monday morning, January 15, falsely reported a fire at the White House.
According to reports, an emergency crew quickly responded to the scene as the individual who phoned 911 regarding the fire also, as per AP, claimed that a person was trapped inside.
Numerous units mobilize following a false 911 call reporting the White House fire
District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services received a 911 call at 7.03 am, according to Forbes.
The caller informed authorities of a "structure fire" inside the White House, according to Noah Gray, Chief Communications Officer for the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
CNN reported that "multiple fire and EMS units were dispatched to the White House following the call."However, the call was quickly determined a false alarm, it reported, noting it resulted from a swatting incident.
Secret Service too joined the emergency crew after a fake call about a fire was made
Gray informed Forbes that fire and EMS services were dispatched "in coordination with" the Secret Service. However, upon investigation, they "determined there was no fire emergency," and the responding units returned to their normal service.
CNN reported that an "all clear" message was broadcast on the dispatch radio at 7:15 am, and emergency services arrived at the scene at 7:16 am.
President Joe Biden had been enjoying the weekend at Camp David and was not present at the White House when the fake call was made.
The US Secret Service declined to comment to the publication.
High-profile targets of 'swatting' incidents
In recent weeks, reports suggest a new wave of "swatting" incidents amid election season.
Indeed, these efforts involved targeting various political figures and even a federal judge.
The term "swatting" is used to describe the act of making false 911 calls with the intent of provoking an emergency response, often done for purposes of intimidation or mischief.
It is reportedly also done for monetary gains and at times to divert law enforcement resources away from other crimes.
Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, Sen Rick Scott, and Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is handling former President Donald Trump’s election interference case, are among the victims of this dangerous practice as mentioned in the CNN report.
The hoax calls put lives at risk, as the emergency responders arrive with weapons and no idea of the situation.
The swatting as per the report gained notoriety when Ashton Kutcher, Justin Bieber, and Kim Kardashian fell victim and the FBI has been working on these crimes for nearly two decades.
